Abu (Mount Abu)

Abu (Mount Abu)

Kala Kshetra

Information: This place is the master piece of architecture and sculpture in the world. The construction is in white marble. The sculpture work is much more intricate and wonderful than of the Taj Mahal.

Acarya Suriji has described this place splendidly. Here was a Tirthankar Rishabhdev Chaitya. Vimal was the marshal of king Parmar of Mahadri. Chandravati was the capital. The people here were very wealthy. Vimal in V.Sam. 1088 got the Vimal Basati constructed.

In 13th cent., one night Goddess said to king Virdhwal in dream to make Vastupal and Tejpal his ministers, which would add to his wealth and make ruling worryless. In the morning king appointed Tejpal as his treasurer and made Vastupal the ruler of Stambh. They got constructed 1304 Jain temples, and renovated 2300 temples. The king revered 125000 idols. He spent at Shatrunjay 189 million Rupees (buying value of 1 Rupee of those days was equal to 20 dollars of present times). He spent at 128 million Rupees Girnar and He spent 125 million Rupees Lunigbasti.

Achalgarh is 6 km. away from Mt. Abu, Adinath temple is 500 years

old. The idol of Tirthankar Adinath is of 'Ashtdhatu' (alloy of eight metals)

and weighs 55 tons.

How to reach: Abu Road station is 186 km. from Ahmedabad on the meter guage

Ahmedabad - Ajmer rail line. This is well connected by road to Ahmedabad, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Udaipur etc. Foothill of Abu hill is 10 km. from the Abu Rd. station, and then 18 km. of road on the hill to go to the top. Delwada is 2kms from Mount Abu.

Lodging: Dharamshalas are all around the temple. Secretary, Shri Digamber Jain

Mandir, Dilwara, PO Mt. Abu, Dist. Sirohi, Rajasthan

Vimalbasti:

This was constructed by Vimalshah in 1088. The sanctum has the white marble image of Tirthankar Adinath in Dhyanmudra. This is not the original image but placed in the restoration of 1322 A.D., the original image is preserved in Devakulka 20. Its lintels, jambs and sill are very beautifully carved. The buffer wall between sanctum and 'gudamandapa' contain niches having images of Jinas in Dhyanmudra. The porches to the lateral entrances of 'gudamandapa' are splendidly sculptured. The pillars at the base are square and have carved images of Goddesses.Then the section changes to octagon, sixteen-sided, and circular. The octagon portion also has images of Goddesses, on sixteen-sided portion are the carvings of Sharavakas, and the circular section has images of 'gandharvas' and 'vidyadharas'. The eight pilasters inside the 'gudamandapa' are similarly carved. The ceiling is a beautifully carved lotus. Gudamandapa has two marble idols of Tirthankar Parasvnath.

Next to the room of 'gudamandapa' is the hall of 'mukhamandapa. On either side of the gudhamandapa door is an ornamental niche which has the image of Tirthankar Adinath in Dhyanmudra. There are about 12 pillars which divide the ceiling into three bays each containing three ceilings. These pillars are also beautifully fully carved. The ceilings are domical, in the center is the padmasila and many other courses containing sculptured ornamentations of lotuses, Jinas, Sravakas, diamonds and beads and different motifs, the padmasila too is a big lotus or some other figure. The sculpture work in the marble is simply superb.

After the entrance and before the mukhamandapa is the Rangamandapa. This has twelve columns arranged along the four sides to give a square central nave. The columns are similarly splendidly carved as are for the mukhmandapa. The square central nave has the ornate dome which is 25 ft. in diameter and is 30 ft. high above the floor. The dome is composed of 11 circular courses of elephants, Goddesses, diamonds & bead, horse riders, 'kolas', standing Goddesses Cakresvari and Vajrasrnkhala, geese and projecting 'lumas'; between the 3rd and 8th courses are provided 16 bracket figures of Vidyadevis. The 'padamasila' consists of two courses of 8-foil and 6-foil 'kolas' and a band figure between them representing horse riders & elephants etc. From the 'padmasila' issues out a long stamenal tube clasped by musicians and one row of petals.

All around halls are Devakulikas, there are two rows. All the pillars are octagonal at the base but are circular at the top, the carvings of lotuses, geese etc. on them are beautiful. The ceilings in some are domical and other are plane. They carry images of Goddesses, Jinas; figures of elephants, Sharavakas, lotuses, creepers, lions, monkeys etc.The lives of Tirthankars are depicted on the ones which are plane.

Lunavasahi:

The floor plan is similar to Vimalavasahi, the entrance is from the side instead of the front. It is equally splendid in sculpture work to Vimalashahi. The doorframe of the sanctum is decorated with foliate scrolls. The lintel continues the decorations of the jambs and has the image of Jinas. Beautiful white marble pedestal has the black marble idol of Tirthankar Neminath. Projecting sculpture nitches on the side walls carry images of Jinas. The buffer wall between the sanctum and the 'gudhamandapa' contains two niches sheltering the image of Tirthankar Mahavira on the right and Tirthankar Shantinath on the left, both being lately installed.

Gudhamandapa is square in plan and is completely sculptured, and has two lateral porches. Its columns have the images of Goddesses, lotus flowers and buds, diamonds and beads etc. The doorframe has niches containing sculptured images of the Goddesses, deities, Jinas. The walls of the gudamandapa are reinforced with eight pilasters to support the domical roof. The circular ceiling bears a full blown lotus flower having three rows of petals. The gudamandapa contains many Jin images and image of Rajmati, the bride of Tirthankar Neminath to whom the temple is dedicated.

The hall of 'mukhmandapa' which is after 'gudamandapa' is similar in plan to that of Lunavasahi. Its pillars, ceilings etc. like Lunvasahi are highly sculptured. It has three bays each bay containing three ceilings. Ceilings are adorned with kolases, lotus petals, whorls etc.

Rangamandapa comes after Devakulikas from the entrance. It has twelve pillars arranged along the four sides of the square. These are three types: octagonal, hexagonal and circular. From the side brackets of pillar-capital emerge 'torana' arches which are wave, cusp tilak, and whorl type. Flanking the gudhamandapa door are two ornamental niches popularly known as 'gokhalas'. The left has the idol of Tirthankar Sambhavnath, and the right has the idol of Tirthankar Santinath. The domical ceiling of the 'rangamandapa' is about 20 ft. in diameter, and is made of 10 circular courses of ornamentations, and 'padmasila'. There are 2x48 'Devakulikas' around the halls. Its pillars are octagonal at the base, above they are sixteen-sided, and circular , the ceilings are beautifully carved. On the backside of the sanctum is the 'hastisala'. In the central part of the hastisala is a

magnificent image of Tirthankar Adinath seated on a moulded pedestal. In front of him is a Meru tower built of white marble. The tower is divided into three storeys bottom has standing Jina idols and the top storeys have Jina idols in pasmasana. On both sides of Meru tower are aligned ten gigantic elephants. They are made out of single block of white marble highly polished. The back wall of hastisala is divided into 10 niches, each containing the portraits of a family. They contain the figures of Tejapala and Vastipulas sons', brothers' etc. families.

Achalgadh

How to reach: Railway train available, Bus available, Taxi available and can go by car. Near by station is Abu Road 37kms away.It's base is 6kms from Mount Abu and 4kms from Delwada.

Lodging: Staying facilities available.