Pawagiri Jain temple explained

Sect:Digambara
Native Name:ग्वालेश्वर मंदिर
Native Name Lang:hi
Map Type:India Madhya Pradesh
Map Size:200
Coordinates:21.8206°N 75.4542°W
Location:Oon village, Khargone, Madhya Pradesh
Festivals:Mahavir Jayanti
Deity:Shantinatha
Established:13th century
Architecture Style:Nagara architecture

Pawagiri Jain Temple or Gvaleshwar temple is a Jain temple located in Oon village, Khargone district in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

History

The temple was constructed by Jain merchants who migrated from Malwa following the annexation of King Kumarapala of Chaulukya dynasty in 1150 CE. The Sanskrit: triratha pedestal of the Tirthankara idol inside the temple bears an inscription dated 1263 CE (V.S. 1321).

Description

The temple plan is similar to Chaubara Dera 2, another nearby Jain temple. The temple features a square Sanskrit: [[maṇḍapa]] with four doors, three lead to outside and one leads to Sanskrit: [[garbhagriha]] of the temple.

The temple is a siddha kshetras, site of Sanskrit: [[Moksha (Jainism)|moksha]] (liberation) for Jain monks. The temple is called Gvaleshwar as Hindi: gvālas (cow herders) used to take shelter here during storms. The main Sanskrit: vedi enshrines three polished black coloured idols and the central idol is the mulnayak of the temple. The mulnayak is a idol tall of Shantinatha that bears an inscription dated 1206 CE.

This temple is protected by Archaeological Survey of India.

See also

References

Books

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