Songadh Jain temple

Songadh Tirtha
Religion
Affiliation	Jainism
Festivals	Mahavir Jayanti
Governing body	Shri Kund Kund Kahan Digambar Jain Swadhyay Mandir Trust
Location
Location	Bhavnagar, Gujarat
Coordinates	21°42′48″N 71°53′4.5″E
Architecture
Established	1930
Temple	8

The Songadh Jain temple is a historical temple complex in the town of Songadh, in Bhavnagar district the Saurashtra region in Gujarat, India. It is 8 km from Sihor town and 28 km from Bhavnagar town.

Importance

Kanji Swami, a mystical teacher of Jainism, was born into Śvētāmbara Sthānakavāsī and converted to a celibate Digambara lay scholar under influence of Kundakunda & Pandit Todarmal, at Songadh in 1934. Sonagadh became birth place for Kanji Panth. Kanji Swami, spent about forty years at Songadh so the village became one of the most important pilgrimage for Kanji Panth.

Songadh along with Palitana, Girnar, Naliya, Kathara, Idar, Tarangaji, and Ahmedabad are planned to be promoted as Gujarat Jain circuit by Gujarat tourism department.

Overview

The temple complex consist of eight temples. Svadhyaya Mandir or study temple, is the first temple in the temple complex built in 1937. The temple is a white marble structure with teachings of Kundakund engraved on the walls and embossed on golden leaf. Jinendra Dharmasabha houses a samavasarana, the divine preaching hall of the Tirthankaras, of Simandhara based on the description by Mahavideha. The temple has murals with depiction of the knowledge of true doctrine cascading like water steam from Simandhara to Kundakunda and Kundakunda to Kanji Swami.

In 2010, a 41.5 feet idol of Lord Bahubali was also installed here.

Other temples

1. Paramagam Mandir, literally meaning Temple of Sacred Texts. Walls of this temple are carved with the Digambar Jain sacred texts of Samayasāra
2. Jin Mandir
3. Nandishwar Deep Mandir
4. Manastambha
5. Kanji Swami Samadhi Mandir
6. Champa Ben Samadhi Mandir

Gallery

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  Nandishwar Deep Mandir front view
• 
  Manasthambha
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  Jinendra Dharmasabha
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  Main vedi of Nandishwar Deep Mandir

See also

• Jainism in Gujarat

References

Sources

• Dundas, Paul (2002) [1992]. The Jains (Second ed.). London and New York: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-26605-5.
• Shah, Natubhai (2004). Jainism: The World of Conquerors. Vol. 1. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120819382.
• Wiley, Kristi L. (2009). The A to Z of Jainism. The A to Z Guide Series. Vol. 38. Scarecrow. ISBN 978-0-8108-6337-8.
• Dave, Kapil (2 March 2018). "Gujarat govt plans a Jain tourist circuit". Retrieved 6 June 2021.
• Srinivasaraju, Sugata (28 June 2010). "Moving A Mountain - Faith meets craftsmanship in a giant granite statue of Bahubali". Outlook. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
• "41-ft Bahubali statue makes a halt in city". The Times of India. 6 June 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
• "Statue of Lord Bahubali to be installed in Gujarat". Hindustan Times. 23 May 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2021.