Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), November 28, 2013: A first of its kind Jain temple in South India with 72 Jinalaya temples of Jain thirthankaras, will be constructed at Medchal soon.
This will be the third temple in India, after the 72 Jinalaya temple in Bhuj, Gujarat and at Bhinmal in Rajasthan. The temple will have 72 statues (deities) of Jain Tirthankaras (24 past jinalaya, 24 current ones and 24 future). Religious heads began the pran prathisthapan (inaugural) ceremony of the temple next Sunday, which will go on for the next eight days, after which it will be open to devotees.
“This is an important holy place for Jains. Devotees in thousands will witness the pran prathisthapan ceremony on December 8. The temple will be constructed near Medchal Railway Station,” said Pikam Chand, secretary, Sri Jain Swetambara Sangh, Medchal.
The temple to be constructed in Makrana marble, will have a total of 102 idols, including 72 thirthankara Jinalaya and idols of other heads, including Sankeshwar Parshwananth, Shaktiguru, Dada gurudev Dadawadi, among others.
“The speciality of this temple will be the presence of the Sri Medchal Parshwanath temple, alongside Adinath and Mahavir Swami. There is a belief that a devotee who visits the temple five times and performs 108 pradakshina (circulations), will have his/her fulfilled,” Chand said.
The Kolanupaka temple at Nalgonda will also attract more Jain devotees to the city. The Jain shrine at the Kolanupaka village in Nalgonda district is more than 2,500 years old and was recently renovated by more than 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat and thrown open to the public. This temple boasts of three holy idols of Lord Adinath, Lord Neminath and Lord Mahaveer and 21 other thirthankaras. – News Courtesy: Deccan Chronicle