Aharji

Aharji
अहारजी
Aharji Kshetra
city
Aharji

Location in Madhya Pradesh, India

Coordinates: 24°45′N 79°08′E / 24.75°N 79.14°E / 24.75; 79.14Coordinates: 24°45′N 79°08′E / 24.75°N 79.14°E / 24.75; 79.14
Country  India
State Madhya Pradesh
District Tikamgarh
Elevation 305 m (1,001 ft)
Languages
 • Official Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)

Aharji is a historical pilgrimage site for Jainism in India. It is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on the road from Tikamgarh to Chhatarpur.

Overview

Aharji is a place full of natural attractive beauty. It is famous for the miraculous colossus of Lord (Shantinath) in standing (Khadagasana) posture. It is 18 feet in height.[1]

The main temple is famous for beautiful monumental image of Lord Shatinath from the Chandella period. It has an inscription on it [2] of Vikram Samvat 1237 (=1180-81 AD). It was the last major temple to be built here in the Chandella period. Several other smaller temples were built here at the same time as the main temple.

Excavations have found a large number of Jain images that were installed here during Sambat 1011 to Samvat 1332, spanning the reigns of six Chandella rulers. This was a major Jain center during the Chandella period. The inscriptions give the names of 32 separate Jain communities that had built these temples, including Golapurva, Parwar, Khandelwal, Golalare, Jaiswal etc.[3]

ओं नमो वीतरागाय॥ ग्रहपतिवंषसरोरुहसहस्त्ररष्मिः सहस्त्रकूटैर्यः। वाणसुरे व्यधितासीत् श्रीमानिह देवपाल इति॥ 1॥ श्री रत्नपाल इति तत्तनयो वरेण्यः पुण्यैकमूर्तिरभवद्वसुहाटिकायां। कीर्तिर्जगत्रय परिभ्रमणश्रमात्र्ता यस्य स्थिराजनि जिनायतनच्छले न॥ 2॥ एकस्तावदनूनबुद्धिनिधिना श्री शांतिचैत्याल। यो दिष्टयानंदपुरे परः परतरानंदप्रदः श्रीमता। येन श्रीमदनेषसागरपुरे तज्जन्मनो निम्र्मिमे॥ सोअयं श्रेष्ठिवरिश्ठगल्हण ईति श्रीरल्हणाख्याद। भूत्॥ 3॥ तस्मादजायत कुलाम्बरपूर्णचंद्रः श्रीजाहडस्तदनुजोयद चन्द्रनामा॥ एकः परापकृतिहेतुकृतावतारो धम्र्मात्मकः पुनरमो घसुदानसारः॥ 4॥ ताभ्यामषेषदुरितौघषमैकहेतुं निर्मापितं भुवनभूशणभूतमेतद्॥ श्रीषांतिचैत्यमतिनित्यसुखप्रदा तृ मुक्तिश्रियो वदनवीक्षणलोलुपाभ्याम्॥ 5॥ संवत् 1237 मार्ग सुदी 3 शुक्रे श्रीमत्परमर्द्धिदेवविजयराज्ये। चंद्रभास्करसमुद्रतारका यावदत्र जनचित्तहारकः॥ धम्र्मकारिकृतषुद्धकीर्तनं तावदेव जयतात् सुकीत्र्तनम्॥ 6॥ वाल्हणस्य सुतः श्रीमान् रुपकारो महामतिः॥ पापटो वास्तुषास्त्रज्ञस्तेन बिम्ब सुनिर्मितम्॥ 7॥

An Aharji Inscription Sam. 1237[4]

Shantinath image inscription

The Shantinath image has a long inscription [5] on it that mentions that two brothers, Jahad and Udaichandra, belonging to the Grahapati community, built the temple during the rule of Chandella ruler Paramardhi, who is well known as Raja Parmal in the popular ballad Alha-Khand. They were the descendants of the builders of the Sahasrakuta temple at Banpur. The image was carved by a sculptor name Papat. Trivedi [6] mentions that several Chandella inscritions mentioning the Grahapati individuals have been found, and that they were noted for their significance and donations.

Aharli Tirtha

  • अहारजी (Hindi)
  • Aharji Siddha Kshetra, Tikamgarh

Basic information
Location Aharji, Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh, India
Affiliation Jainism
Deity Tirthankar Shantinath
Festivals Mahavir Jayanti
Governing body Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra Aharji
Website www.jainteerth.com/teerth/aaharji.asp
Specifications
Temple(s) 8

Location

The place is located in Taluka – Baldeogarh, District – Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh, about 25 km from Tikamgarh.[7] The management committee is Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra Aharji Prabandhakarini Samiti, Nearby Cities include Tikamgarh and Chhatarpur

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001
  2. ↑ Y.K. Malaiya, "The Sravakas of Madanasagarpura in the Chandel Period" Anekanta, July-Sept. 1993
  3. ↑ Thakurdas Bhagavandas Javeri, Bharatvarshiya Digambar Jain Directory, 1914
  4. ↑ Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001, p. 212-219
  5. ↑ Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001, p. 212-219
  6. ↑ H.V. Trivedi, "Inscriptions of the Paramaras, Chandellas, Kachchhapaghatas and two minor Dynasties", part 3 of the 3-part Vol II of Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, (published in 1989)
  7. ↑ शहर से 25 किमी दूर अहारजी में 26 से शुरू होगा तीन दिवसीय आवासीय शिविर, भास्कर, Aug 21, 2012http://www0.bhaskar.com/article/MP-OTH-302486-3674907.html

External links

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