Pawagiri Jain Temple or Gvaleshwar temple is a Jain temple located in Oon village, Khargone district in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Pawagiri Jain temple
ग्वालेश्वर मंदिर
Gvaleshwar temple
Gvaleshwar temple
Religion
AffiliationJainism
SectDigambara
DeityShantinatha
FestivalsMahavir Jayanti
Location
LocationOon village, Khargone, Madhya Pradesh
Pawagiri Jain temple is located in Madhya Pradesh
Pawagiri Jain temple
Location within Madhya Pradesh
Geographic coordinates21°49′14.2″N 75°27′15″E / 21.820611°N 75.45417°E / 21.820611; 75.45417
Architecture
StyleNagara architecture
Date established13th century

History edit

The temple was constructed by Jain merchants who migrated from Malwa following the annexation of King Kumarapala of Chaulukya dynasty in 1150 CE. The triratha pedestal of the Tirthankara idol inside the temple bears an inscription dated 1263 CE (V.S. 1321).[1]

Description edit

The temple plan is similar to Chaubara Dera 2, another nearby Jain temple. The temple features a square maṇḍapa with four doors, three lead to outside and one leads to garbhagriha of the temple.[2][3]

The temple is a siddha kshetras, site of moksha (liberation) for Jain monks. The temple is called Gvaleshwar as gvālas (cow herders) used to take shelter here during storms.[2][4] The main vedi enshrines three polished black coloured idols and the central idol is the mulnayak of the temple.[5] The mulnayak is a 12.5 feet (3.8 m) idol tall of Shantinatha that bears an inscription dated 1206 CE.[6]

This temple is protected by Archaeological Survey of India.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Akhikari 2004, p. 1201.
  2. ^ a b Jain 1972, p. 442.
  3. ^ a b ASI.
  4. ^ District Administration.
  5. ^ Titze & Bruhn 1998, p. 134.
  6. ^ Mishra 1973, pp. 149–150.

Books edit

  • Jain, Kailash Chand (1972). Malwa Through the Ages, from the Earliest Times to 1305 A.D. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0824-9.
  • Mishra, Vibhuti Bushan (1973). Religious Beliefs and Practices of North India during the Early Mediaeval Period. Handbook of Oriental Studies. Vol. 3. Netherland: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-03610-9.
  • Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998). Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence (2 ed.). Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6.

Web edit

External links edit

  Media related to Pawagiri Jain Temple, Un at Wikimedia Commons