Mandar Parvat Explained

Shri Mandar Parvat Tirth
Native Name:Mandar giri
Religious Affiliation:Jainism, Hinduism
Map Type:Bihar
Coordinates:24.8412°N 87.0354°W
Location:Banka district, Bihar, India
Deity:Vasupujya and Vishnu
Festivals:Mahavir Jayanti, Makar Sankranti
Temple Quantity:12

Mandar Parvat, also known as Mandar Hill is a small mountain situated in Bounsi, Banka district under Bhagalpur division of state of Bihar.[1] It is about 700 ft high and approximately 45 km south of Bhagalpur city of Bounsi, a place located on the state highway between Bhagalpur and Dumka. Mandar Hill is a great place of pilgrimage although it is not so well known now. On top of the hill areJain temples and on bottom of the hill are Hindu temples.[2] A carnival is organised every year at Mahavir Jayanti & Makar Sakranti.

Religious Significance

Jainism

Mandar Parvat, is believed to place of three out of five kalnayak (Panch Kalyanaka) — diksha, kevala jnana, and nirvana of Vasupujya, the 12th tirthankara in Jainism.

Hinduism

See main article: Mount Mandara. The mountain has many references in Hindu Mythology as Mandarachal Parvat. As per references found in the Puranas and the Mahabharata, this hill was used for churning the ocean to extract the nectar from its bosom (Samudra Manthan). There is, adjacent to this hill, a pond called "Paapharni". This holy pond has its own historical significance. It is a place where you can revive yourself after taking a bath in the pond that refreshes you mentally and physically. In the middle of the pond is a temple of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.

Many rare sculptures of Lord Shiva, Kamadhenu and Varaha, believed to be of 11-12th century AD, can be found to be scattered around Mandar Hill. These rare artifacts need to be conserved by Archaeological Survey of India.[3]

References

Sources

Book: Titze . Kurt. Bruhn . Klaus. [{{Google books|loQkEIf8z5wC|page=202|keywords=|text=|plainurl=yes}} Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence ]. . . 2 . 1998 . 81-208-1534-3 .

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mandar Hill . hindubooks.org . November 1, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141016031409/http://www.hindubooks.org/temples/bihar/mandarhill/page9.htm . October 16, 2014 . dead .
  2. Web site: Mandar Hill at Banka . dead . December 27, 2017 . explorebihar.in . December 17, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171217183617/http://www.explorebihar.in/mandar-hill-at-banka.html .
  3. Web site: March 30, 2017. Antiquities destroyed in Bihar's Mandar hills ropeway project.