Kulpakji

Kulpakji Tirtha
Kulpakji Tirtha Location in Telangana
Coordinates:	17°41′55″N 79°02′14″E / 17.698611°N 79.037222°E / 17.698611; 79.037222Coordinates: 17°41′55″N 79°02′14″E / 17.698611°N 79.037222°E / 17.698611; 79.037222
Location
Country:	India
State/province:	Telangana
District:	Nalgonda
Locale:	Kolanupaka
Architecture and culture
Important festivals:	Mahavir Jayanti

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Kulpakji also Kolanupaka Temple is a Jain shrine at the village of Kolanupaka in Nalgonda district, Telangana, India.^[1][2] The temple houses three idols: one each of Lord Rishabha, Lord Neminath, and Lord Mahaveer. The image of Lord Rishabha, carved of a green stone has been historically famous as "Manikyaswami". The temple is about 80 km from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway NH 163.

History

A number of Jain antiquities have been discovered in Kulpak. A grant mentioning a gift to a basadi during the rile of Sanfkaragana (9th century) has been found at Akunur.^[3] Kolanupaka flourished as a Jain center during the Rashtrakutas period^[4] Over 20 Jain inscriptions have been found at Kulpak.^[5] Inscriptions suggest that the Kulpak was a major center of Kranur Gana of Mula Sangh. A manastambha with an inscription of 1125 AD has been found. A 12th-century inscription found in the temple mentions Meghachadra Siddhantadeva who entered sallekhana. The Jain activity declined after 1276 AD. Jain activity was re-established in 1711 AD when the temple of Manikyaswani was renovated and a boundary wall was erected.

In Vividha Tirtha Kalpa (14th century) of Jinaprabhasuri the sections Kulyapak Rishabhadeva Stuti and Kollapakamanikyadeva Tirthakalpa.^[6] He mentions that according to legends, the Manikyasami image was originally worshipped by Mandodari, the wife of Ravana. It was brought here by the ruler Sankar of Kalyana.

According to some legends the main temple is said to been build by Bharat Chakravarti. Jainism was prevalent in Andhra Pradesh before the 4th century, and Kolanupaka was one of the prominent centres of Jainism from early times.^[7] The temple,was recently renovated^[8] by employing more than 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat.^[9]

The Temple

Lord Rishabha, popularly called Adinath Bhagvan, was the first Tirthankar in the Jain religion. It is believed that the original idol of Lord Adinath, known locally as Manikya Deva, has made Kolanupaka its abode.

There are eight idols of the other Tirthankars on both the sides of the main temple. The statue of Lord Mahaveer is 130 centimetres (51 in) tall and is said to be made of a single piece of jade. Idols of Lord Simandar Swami and Mata Padmavati are installed on either side of the main temple.

Kulpakji is an important pilgrimage center for Svetambara Jains of South India.

Also, the Someshwara Temple is very famous, which was established by Chalukya's about 800 years back. Kolanu means a Lake and Paka means a Hut. There used to be lots of lakes and huts and this caused to get this name.

Renovation

The temple was recently renovated by employing more than 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat supervised by Sompuras. The old garbhagrah was preserved and a complete new temple was created surrounding the existing tower.^[10]

Image Gallery

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  Kolanupaka Temple (Kulpakji Temple) Gopuram

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  Kolanupaka Temple (Kulpakji Temple) entrance

References