| Name :
|
| Shri
Girnarji Siddha Kshetra |
| Is an
Siddha Kshetra (Place of
Salvation).
|
| Address :
|
Shri Bandi Lalji Digamber Jain
Dharmashala
Near the stairs of Shri Girnarji (Talhati), Bhavnath
Shri Girnarji, Junagarh (Gujarat) Pin – 362004
Phone 0285-2621519 |
| Management Committee :
|
Shri Bandi Lalji
Digambar Jain Managing Committee
Bhaiji Ka Mandir, Pratapgarh, Dist. – Chittorgarh (Raj.)
Phone 05342-222053 |
| Chair Person :
|
Shri
Raja Ramleshji Bandi
Mumbai, Phone 022-28937993 |
| Secretary :
|
Shri Surendra Kumarji
Padliya
Bhaiji Ka Mandir, Pratapgarh, Dist. – Chittorgarh (Raj.) |
| Nearby City :
|
| Junagarh 5 km
|
| About Girnarji :
|
Shri
Girnarji Siddha Kshetra is
the famous religious center of Jain community. Thus place is sacred & pious as
it is related with 3 Kalyanka – (i) Diksha (ii) Gyan (iii) Moksha of 22nd
Teerthankar Bhagwan Neminath. About 72 crore & 700 Muniraj like son of Shri
Krishna – Pradyumna Kumar, Shambhu Kumar, Aniruddha Kumar achieved salvation at
this place. According to Digambar Tradition, in the 2nd decade ‘Munivar Dharsena
Acharya’ ‘the master of Jain Text (Ang-Gyan)’, passed on his precious knowledge
to ‘Muni Pushpadanta’ & to ‘Muni Bhootbali’ in Chandra Gupha (a cave) of Girnar
Hill. After getting enlighted by the invaluable knowledge they wrote ‘Shat Khand
Agam’, the first ‘Shrut Skandha’. Both Muni Pushpadanta & Muni Bhootbali
achieved Mantra perfection on the ‘Siddha Shila’ present on Girnar Hill. Before
them Bhagwan Neminath also achieved salvation on this Siddha Shila. This place
has also been visited by last Shrutkevli Acharya Bhadrabahu, Acharya Kund-Kund,
Samantbhadra and many other Muniraj (Jain Saints).
This Kshetra is famous as blessed land as it is related to Bhagwan Neminath’s 3
Kalyanka viz Diksha, Gyan, Moksha. This place is also famous as ‘Urjayanta Giri’.
Acharya Samantbhadra while appreciating about ‘Urjayanta Giri’ in his “Swayambhu
Stotra” has written –
“Hey Urjayanta! You stand high as the hump on the land, Vidyadhar Pairs (Persons
having abnormal powers uncommon to general man) reside over you, you are well
adorned by spires, clouds just touch your surface & ‘Indra’ himself marked the
symbol of Bhagwan Neminath by his ‘Vajra’ on your blessed land.” (127) |
| View of Kshetraa
:
|
Though
this Kshetra is meant for Digambars, but along with Digambars, Shwetambars &
Hindu & people of all communities visit here.
The slope begins after walking little further or we can say 100 steps further
from Dharmashala. The stairs are also constructed for climbing up the hill.
First Tonk – After covering 3 km distance of ascension there is one cave being
named as ‘Rajul Gupha’. One has to bend to cross this cave. The new idols
installed by Shwetambars are present here and one ornamented idol of ‘Rajul’ &
one idol of ‘Rathnemi’ are constructed here.
A little distance further from cave a Digamber Jain Dharmashala is present and
in the campus of this Dharmashala one umbrella and three temples are present.
The 4 feet high Khadgasana ultra ancient idol of Bhagwan Bahubali is installed
in one little temple. Beside this temple the foot images of Acharya Kund Kund
in white stone are made under one umbrella and 5 idols of ‘Panch Parmeshthi’
are carved in wall present in front of it. Beside the umbrella there is one
temple in which one black stone’s 1 foot 7 inch high Padmasana idol of V.S.
1745 is installed. On both sides of this idol the 1 foot 11 inch high ancient
white stone’s idols of Bhagwan Parshvanath are installed in Padmasana.
One huge temple is constructed in this campus and this temple has one sanctum
& one assembly hall. Many idols of Bhagwan Neminath, Shantinath & Parshvanath
are installed on Altar. The size of these idols ranges from 1 foot to 1 foot 8
inch.
A ‘Gomukh’ exists near here. From this Gomukh stream of water keeps flowing
continuously and lot of ponds are formed here because of this stream of water.
Foot prints of 24 Threethankars are made on one Altar present on wall behind
this Gomukh.
After moving little further from this place, the one reaches to entrance gate
of fort of ‘Rakhangar’. On the left side of this huge gate there is one
beautiful temple of Bhagwan Neminath, this temple comes under possession of
Shwetambars now a days. There is a group of 9 artistic Shwetambar temples near
Bhagwan Neminath temple. These were constructed by Vastupal, Tejpal, King
Kumarpal, Minister Sajjan & others etc.
Second Tonk – After climbing stairs starting from First Tonk one reaches to
Second Tonk. This Second Tonk is the ‘Nirvan’ (Salvation) place of Aniruddha
Kumar. The foot images of ‘Aniruddha Kumar’ are also present here. There is
one huge temple of ‘Ambadevi’. In previous this temple was Digambar Temple,
but now it is in possession of Hindus.
Third Tonk – On moving further foot images of Shambhu Kumar are present on
left side. It is also ‘Nirvan’ place of ‘Shambhu Kumar’. Here also Hindus have
constructed their temples.
Fourth Tonk – The stairs are not available for reaching at this place. This is
a straight hill. Reaching up to this place requires courage, strength & lot of
hard work. It is ‘Nirvan’ place of ‘Pradyumna Kumar’ and his foot images are
also present here.
Fifth Tonk – After going in upward direction from Fourth Tonk one reaches to
Fifth Tonk. It is ‘Nirvan’ place of Bhagwan ‘Neminath’. The foot images of
Bhagwan Neminath are also present here under main umbrella. Behind these foot
images a magnificent Digamber idol of Bhagwan Neminath is being installed.
Hindus believe that foot images are foot images of ‘Dattatreya’ and they have
forcibly taken the possession of this place.
When one again comes back to this place then stairs are available for the
place ‘Sahastramravan’ from First Tonk. It is ‘Diksha’ & ‘Gyan’ Kalyanka place
of Bhagwan Neminath. The foot images of Bhagwan Neminath are present under one
umbrella. |
| Temple Kind of :
|
| All types of Digamber,
Shwetamber & Hindu devotees do visit here |
| Other Temple :
|
Temple
in the Valley – One huge temple is present in the campus of Dharmashala and it
is called as ‘Neminath Digamber Jain Temple’. The black colored Padmasana idol
of Bhagwan Munisuvrit Nath, which was made agreeable by ‘Jeevraj Papadiwal’ in
V.S. 1548, is also installed here.
The black colored Padmasana idol of principal deity Bhagwan Neminath is
installed on Lotus of white stone inside the main altar. Height of this idol
is 4 feet with base.
In this temple there are eight more altars. In these altars, idol of Bhagwan
Neminath, Pradyumna Kumar, Shambhu Kumar, Aniruddha Kumar & other
Teerthankaras are agreeable.
This temple is 145 years old. There is one sky-high magnificent column of
dignity of white marble, present in front of this temple.
|
| Natural Scenario :
|
| Being hilly area the environment
is quite natural, beautiful & clean here. |
| Facilities :
|
One big
Dharmashala equipped with all facilities is constructed in valley of hill. A
Dharmashala is also built on First Tonk (Hill). Food & bed are easily
available.
|
| Means of approach :
|
| By Road- Buses are available
for reaching up to Junagarh from Ahemdabad and other cities of Gujarat. Auto
Rickshaws from Junagarh are available for going up to Girnaar Kshetra (a
distance of 6 km).
|
| By Rail- Junagarh Station (6
km from Kshetra)
|
| Nearest Airport- Rajkot (100
km) .
|
| Nearby Places :
|
A Jain temple & Dharmashala is
available at ‘Jagmal Chouk’ in Junagarh.
In Junagarh – Inscriptions of Ashoka, Rajul Mahal, Nawab Ka Mahal, Museum,
Mohabbat Makbara etc. |
| Suggestion :
|
| Fairs are organized
by Hindus on Girnar from Kartik Shukla – 11 to Poornima & on 9-10th of Phalgun
Shukla four days before Maha Shivratri. The visiting at this place at time of
fair is not recommended to Jains. |