Shri
Shankheshvar Tirth
Bhagawan
Shankheshvar Parshvanath
Mulnayak: Nearly
182 cms. high, white-colored idol of Bhagawan Shankheshvar Parshvanath in the Padmasana
posture.
How
to reach: It is
in the village Shankheshvar. The nearest railway station of Harij is at a distance of 10
kilometers and Viramgam is at a distance of 62 kilometers. Bus service and private
vehicles are available. There are boarding and
lodging facilities.
Art and Architecture:
Historicity:
In ancient scripture, this tirth is referred to as Shankhapur. Ashadhi Shravak fell, in
the grip of dreadful miseries of life. Questions arose in his mind - "When shall I
attain nirvana? When shall I be free from the bondage? When shall I be liberated ? When
shall I attain salvation? " Answering all these questions, Damodar Swami, the ninth
Tirthankara said "Parshvanath will be the twenty-third 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. He, then, became fully absorbed in
praying to Bhagawan Parshvanath and worshipping His idol. The idol of Bhagawan Parshvanath
then began to be worshipped in various ways in Devlok, in the Pataal and on earth. The
history of renovation of the temple is as under :-
(1)
In the year 1155 of the Vikram era, Sajjan Shah built the Shankheshvar temple on the banks
of the Rupen river.
(2)
In the year 1286 of the Vikram era, Vastupal Tejpal renovated this temple under
instructions of Shri Vardhamansurisharji Maharaj Saheb. There were 52 idols in the temple.
(3)
In the year 1302, King was awe-inspired by inconceivable grandeur of the idol and inspired
by Shri Uktasuri Maharaj Saheb, he renovated this temple .
(4)
In the fourteenth century of the Vikram era, this temple was destroyed by Muslims.
(5)
In the sixteenth century of the Vikram era, under the inspiration of Vijaysensurisvarji
Maharaj Saheb, the splendid new temple with 52 idols, was built.
(6)
In the year 1760 of the Vikram era, the Sangha built the new temple and got the idol
reinstalled. Since then, this vast and beautiful temple with a 52 idols and passage for
going round it. stands there. Besides, the original sanctuary, this temple has an open
square, a decorated square, a vast square and two assembly halls. Even if volumes of books
are written, they cannot fully describe the miracles of this temple.
The
idol of Bhagawan Bhidbhanjan Parshvanath is in small temple to the right of the chief idol
and the idol of Bhagawan Ajitnath is in the small temple to the left of the main idol. The
idols of Nagraj Dharanendradev, Shri Padmavatidevi, Parshva Yaksha and Shri
Chakreshvaridevi are there to protect the tirth, to remove the obstacles of the
worshippers and to fulfill their wishes. On the tenth day of the month of Posh (the tenth
day of the dark half of the month of Magasar) and during the Diwali days, thousand of
pilgrims come here to observe a two-day long fast. At present, Shri Shankheshvar tirth is
under renovation at the cost of crores of rupees. The doors of the small temples on the
passage for going round the temple will be enlarged and the height of their summits will
be raised. Besides, there are the Agam Mandir, the temple of 108 Parshvanath and
Padmavatidevi, the Gurumandir and other temples.
Trust: Seth Jivandas Godidas Shankheshvar Parshvanath Jain Derasar Trust,
Shankheshvar, Dist Mehsana, Gujarat State, India.