Shankheshwar
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| Shankheshwar | |
  Shankheshwar
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| State - District(s) |
Gujrat - Patan |
| Coordinates | |
| Area | |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Population - Density |
- |
| Codes - Postal - Telephone - Vehicle |
- 384240 - +912722 - |
Shankheshwar is one of the most important teerth (place of pilgrimage) for followers of the Jain faith in India. It is situated in the Patan district of Gujarat state of India. According to Mughal history, the Shankheshwar village is recorded as a lease-grant by Emperor Shah Jahan to Shantidas, the then Mayor of Ahmedabad. A fair is held here on the full moon days of the Hindu calendar months Chaitra (around March/April) and Kartik (around October-November), and the tenth day of the second half of Maghashirsha (around December-January). The temple ranks next only to those on Mount Shatrunjaya in Palitana (Gujarat) in importance for the Jaina. Getting There: The nearest railway stations are Harij (10 km) and Viramgam (62 km). Bus services and private vehicles are also available. Boarding and lodging facilities are available at Jain hostels in Shankheshwar.
[edit] History
In ancient inscriptions, this Jain teerth is referred to as Shankhapur. It is said that a layperson Shravaka by the name of Ashadhi was gripped by doubts and miseries about his existence in the material world: "When shall I attain nirvana? When shall I be free from the bondage of the material world? When shall I be liberated?" Answering all these questions, Damodar Swami, the ninth Jain Tirthankara said "Parshvanath will be the twenty-third Jain Tirthankara in the avasarpinikala (the descending half of the wheel of time). You will be his Ganadhar (prime disciple) named Aryaghosha and attain salvation there. Ashadhi then became fully engrossed in his devotion to Lord Parshwanath. The following is a history of the various renovations of the main temple: - In the year 1155 of the Vikram era {1099 A.D.}, Sajjan Shah built the Shankheshwar temple on the banks of the Rupen river. - In the year 1286 of the Vikram era {1230 A.D.}, Vastupal and Tejpal renovated this temple under the guidance of Jain Acharya Vardhamansuri. - There were 52 deities in the temple. In the year 1302 {1246 A.D.}, the reigning King was awestruck by the incomparable grandeur of the presiding deity and inspired by Jain Acharya Uktasuri, he renovated this temple. - In the fourteenth century of the Vikram era, this temple was destroyed by Muslim invaders. - In the sixteenth century of the Vikram era, under the inspiration of Jain Acharya Vijaysensurisvarji, a splendid new temple was built with 52 deities. - In the year 1760 of the Vikram era {1704 A.D.}, the Jain Sangha built the new temple and reinstalled the presiding deity. Since then, this vast and beautiful temple has stood there in tis present form. Apart from the original sanctum-sanctorum, this temple has an open square, a decorated square, a vast square and two assembly halls. It is said that numerous miracles are associated with this temple and the presiding deity of Lord Parshwanath. The presiding deity is a 6 feet high statue of Lord Shankheshwar Parshwanath in the Padmasana {lotus} posture.
The sanctum of the presiding deity is flanked by a smaller sanctum with Lord Bhidbhanjan Parshvanath to the right and another sacntum with the Jain Tirthankara Lord Ajitanatha to the left. The statues of Nagraj Dharanendradev, Goddess Padmavatidevi, Parshva Yaksha and Goddess Chakreshvaridevi can also be found in the tample. On the tenth day of the Hindu calendar month of Pausha, the tenth day of the dark half of the Hindu calendar month of Margashirsha, and during the festival of Diwali, thousands of pilgrims come here to observe a two-day fast.
