Jain temples, Vidisha

Vidisha is considered to be Puranakshetras Jain tirtha. The Jain temples are located in Vidisha district in state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Vidisha is believed to be birthplace of Shitalanatha, the tenth tirthankar. Here the first 108 feet elevated temple with all tirthankars with Shitalanatha as principal deity is also being constructed.[1]

Jain temples, Vidisha
Maladevi temple
Religion
Affiliation	Jainism
Deity	Tirthankar
Festivals	Mahavir Jayanti
Location
Location	Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh
Geographic coordinates	23°39′32.1″N 78°06′49.1″E
Architecture
Style	Gupta, Māru-Gurjara, Mughal
Creator	Gupta, Pratihara dynasty
Date established	4th to 5th century
Completed	10th century
Temple(s)	14 + 1 cave

Jain cave

Main article: Udayagiri Caves

Vidisha is believed to be the Jain images were worshipped. The earliest of these are two Jain caves of Udayagiri. Only a torso remains of one cave, this torso is now exhibited in open air museum.[2]

Cave 20 is the only cave in the Udayagiri Caves complex that is dedicated to Jainism. It is in the northwestern edge of the hills. At the entrance is the image of the Jain tirthankara Parshvanatha sitting under a serpent hood. The cave is divided into five rectangular rooms with stones stacked, the total length of 50 feet (15 m) that is about 16 feet (4.9 m) deep.[3]

Jain temple

Bada Mandir

Bada Mandir is one of the fourteen Jain temple present in Vidisha. The temple is built in Mughal architecture. The bada mandir consist of miraculous Jain idol which is considered to be older than temple.[2]

Bajramath Jain temple

Bajramath Jain temple is situated in Gyaraspur and dates back to 10th century. This temple enshrines three garbhagrihas with the temple is fully decorated with Jain sculptures.[4] The temple was earlier a Brahmical temple dedicate to Surya but was transformed to a Jain temple which is evident from carvings of Hindu God Surya, Shiva and Vishnu on door jambs.[5] All three shrines of this temple are now occupied with idols of tirthankaras.[6][7] The temple houses a finely carved five–hooded idol of Suparshvanatha.[8]

Maladevi temple

Maladevi temple dates back to the 9th century. This is a rock-cut temple built in Pratihara style. The temple was initially a Brahmical temple but later converted to a Jain worship site. The temple is rich with carvings of tirthankaras, yakshi, and yaksha. The temple consists of entrance porch, mandapa garbhagriha and shikhara.[9] The temple is dedicated to Adinatha.[10][11] The Maladevi temple is considered one of the best examples of its collection of varied Jain sculptures.[12][13] The temple houses finally carved idol of Shantinatha in lotus position with symbol of deer and four armed yaksha and yakshi.[14]

Gadarmal temple

Gadarmal temple dates back to the 9th century. The architecture of this temple is a fusion of Pratihara and Parmara styles. It is built in a similar fashion as Teli ka Mandir in Gwalior fort. This temple houses both Hindu and Jain idols.[15] The temple is made of sandstone with 7 small shrines surrounding the main shrine.[16]

Pataria Jain temples

Pataria Jain temples were built in the 9th century in Badoh city. This is a cluster of 25 temples with the main shrine surmounted with shikharas, other shrines have a flat roof, shikharas and dome.[17][18]

Restoration

In 1930, Gwalior state stepped up to conserve Maladevi temple.[19] All of the monuments in Vidisha are protected by Archaeological Survey of India.[20]

Gallery

• 
  Pataria Jain temple
• 
  Bajramath Jain temple
• 
  Image of Adinatha inside Bajramath Jain temple
• 
  Gadarmal temple
• 
  Detailed carving on pillar of Maladevi temple

See also

• Siddhachal Caves
• Gwalior fort
• Vidisha
• Beejamandal
• Sironj

References

Citations

1. Dainik Bhaskar & 108 feet temple.
2. Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 13.
3. Cunningham 1880, pp. 53–54.
4. ASI & Bajramath Temple.
5. Mishra 2010, p. 77. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMishra2010 (help)
6. Ayyar 1987, p. 16.
7. Madhya Pradesh Tourism & Temples of Madhya Pradesh, p. 24.
8. Shah 1987, p. 141.
9. ASI & Maladevi Temple.
10. Mishra 2010, p. 76. sfn error: no target: CITEREFMishra2010 (help)
11. Madhya Pradesh Tourism & Temples of Madhya Pradesh, p. 23.
12. Jain 2009, p. 283.
13. Ghurye 2005, p. 39.
14. Shah 1987, p. 154.
15. ASI & Gadarmal Temple.
16. Madhya Pradesh Tourism & Temples of Madhya Pradesh, p. 26.
17. Jain 1972, p. 431.
18. ASI & Badoh Jain Temple.
19. India Times & Gyaraspur.
20. ASI & Vidisha.

Sources

• Cunningham, Alexander (1880), Report of Tours Bundelkhand and Malwa 1874–1875 and 1876–1877, Archaeological Survey of India, Vol. 10, ASI, Government of India, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998). Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence (2 ed.). Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 81-208-1534-3.
• Ayyar, Sulochana (1987), Costumes and Ornaments as Depicted in the Sculptures of Gwalior Museum, Mittal Publications, ISBN 9788170990024
• Shah, Umakant Premanand (1987), Jaina-Rupa Mandana: Jaina Iconography, 1, India: Shakti Malik Abhinav Publications, ISBN 81-7017-208-X
• Mitra, Swati (2010), Buddhist Circuit in Central India: Sanchi, Satdhara, Sonari, Andher, Goodearth Publications, ISBN 9789380262055
• Temples of Madhya Pradesh. Goodearth Publications. ISBN 9789380262499.
• Jain, Arun Kumar (2009), Faith & Philosophy of Jainism, Gyan Publishing House, ISBN 9788178357232
• "Maladevi Temple". Archaeological Survey of India.
• "Bajramath Temple". Archaeological Survey of India.
• "Gadarmal Temple". Archaeological Survey of India.
• "Badoh Jain Temple". Archaeological Survey of India.
• "Vidisha". Archaeological Survey of India.
• Jain, Kailash Chand (1972), Malwa Through The Ages, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 9788120808249
• "Vidisha, the country's first 108 feet elevated temple with all Tirthankars". Dainik Bhaskar. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
• Ghurye, G.S. (2005), Rajput Architecture, Popular Prakashan, ISBN 9788171544462
• Kumar, Arjun (20 October 2010). "Gyaraspur a small town which takes you back in time". India Times. Retrieved 3 August 2019.

External links

• Monumental Mala Devi Temple