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. According to Jain belief, Vidisha is the birthplace of Shitalanatha, the tenth tirthankar. Here the first 108 feet elevated temple with all Tirthankaras with Shitalanatha as the principal deity is under construction.[1]

Jain temples, Vidisha
Maladevi temple
Religion
AffiliationJainism
DeityTirthankar
FestivalsMahavir Jayanti
Location
LocationVidisha, Madhya Pradesh
Geographic coordinates23°39′32.1″N 78°06′49.1″E
Architecture
StyleGupta, Māru-Gurjara, Mughal
CreatorGupta, Pratihara dynasty
Date established4th to 5th century
Completed10th century
Temple(s)14 + 1 cave
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Jain cave
Main article: Udayagiri Caves

According to Jain belief, Vidisha is one of the first places where the Jain images were worshipped. The earliest of these are two Jain caves of Udayagiri. Only a torso remains of one cave, and this torso is now exhibited in an open-air museum.[2]

Cave 20 is the only cave in the Udayagiri Caves complex is dedicated to Jainism. It is on 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 temples

Bada Mandir

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

Bajramath Jain temple

Bajramath Jain temple is situated in Gyaraspur and dates back to the 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 Devi temple
Main article: Gadarmal Devi temple

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

Pataria Jain temples

Pataria Jain temples was built in the 9th century in Badoh city. These are a cluster of 25 temples with the main shrine surmounted with shikharas; the 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]

  • Pataria Jain temple
  • Bajramath Jain temple
  • Carvings of Vishnu on wall of Bajramath Jain temple
  • Image of Adinatha inside Bajramath Jain temple
  • Gadarmal Devi temple
  • Detailed carving on pillar of Maladevi temple

See also

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.
  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.
  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
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