Aharji Jain Teerth

Aharji Tirtha
  • अहारजी (Hindi)
  • Aharji Siddha Kshetra, Tikamgarh
Aharji Tirtha Mural at Nainagiri
Basic information
Location Aharji, Tikamgarh district, Madhya Pradesh, India
Geographic coordinates 24°44′21.8″N 78°59′26.5″E / 24.739389°N 78.990694°E / 24.739389; 78.990694Coordinates: 24°44′21.8″N 78°59′26.5″E / 24.739389°N 78.990694°E / 24.739389; 78.990694
Affiliation Jainism
Deity Shantinatha
Festivals Mahavir Jayanti
Governing body Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra Aharji
Website www.jainteerth.com/teerth/aaharji.asp
Date established 10th-12th Century
Temple(s) 8

Aharji Jain Teerth is a historical pilgrimage site for Jainism located in Aharji, Madhya Pradesh, on the road from Tikamgarh to Chhatarpur.

Aharji Jain Teerth

Aharji Jain Teerth is famous for the miraculous 18 feet monolithic idol of Lord (Shantinath) in Kayotsarga posture.[1]

The main temple is famous for the beautiful monumental image of Lord Shatinath from the Chandella period. Aharji was a major Jain center during the Chandella period. The inscriptions in this temple date back to 1180 CE(V.S. 1237).[2] 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 954CE to 1275 CE(VS 1011 to V.S. 1332), spanning the reigns of six Chandella rulers. 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 12th century CE[4]

Shantinath image inscription

The Shantinath image has a long inscription 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.[5] They were the descendants of the builders of the Sahasrakuta temple at Banpur, Lalitpur. The image was carved by a sculptor named Papat Trivedi. [6] mentions that several Chandella inscriptions mentioning the Grahapati individuals have been found, and that they were noted for their significance and donations.

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". 21 August 2012.
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