MANGI-TUNGI TIRTH

Categories : All Jain Tirth

MANGI-TUNGI TIRTH

SHRI MANGI-TUNGI TIRTH

PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :

Sri Adhinath Bhagwan in white color, seated in a semi-lotus posture, of height 137cms in a shrine on a high mountain called Galna surrounded by wild forest and 1371 meters above sea level (Dig).

ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :

It is difficult to know about the antiquity and period of this shrine. From idols, caves, water reservoirs and inscriptions in semi-magadhi, ardha-magadhi script found on this mountain, it becomes quiet evident that the shrine is thousands of years old.

It is said to that Maryada Purushotam Sri Ramachandraji, Pavanputra hanumanji, Sri Sugrivji and countless Jain saints have attained Moksha here. According to one legend when the city of Dwarka was completely destroyed in fire, Lord Sri Krishna a Tirthankar to be, of the future set of 24 in the next cycle of time and his brother Sri Balram took shelter in this forest and the former left off his mortal coils when struck by an arrow from Jaradkumar also in this forest. In the middle of these mountains his Brother Balram performed the final rites. Even today there stands a memorial on that spot. Sri Balramji thereafter getting totally disillusioned of this worldly life and realizing that it was the forest and there practicing intense austerities proceeded to heaven.

The two visible peaks of the mountain in this forest are known as Mangi and Tungi. The road leading to them is extremely dangerous. There are many curves on the top in which Jain idols are found installed. Adivasi people also by visiting this shrine feel themselves fulfilled. The nearby forts of Kanchanpur and Mulher and the village ofMulher are of historical significance. Till Vikram year 1822, in this village which was a city, there lived hundreds of Jain householder families and the city was rich and prosperous. It is said that once upon a time, the local king as well as all his subjects were following Jain religion.

At the base of the mountain , now there are a total of three temples, two of Sri Parshvanath Bhagwan and one of Sri Adhinath Bhagwan.

In the whole of India, there are a few mountains only, on which there are so many caves, ancient idols and water reservoirs. The place is a veritable treasure trove of ancient art. It would be difficult to describe this place in words. The ancient artistic Jain idols of Tirthankars and saints together with exquisitely carved images of gods and goddess in dancing moods and postures of a great variety which are found here in caves are rarely to be seen anywhere else. From place to place here inscriptions are found in Sanskrit as well as Magadhi languages.

APPROACH – ROUTE :

The railway station of Nawapur and Manmad are 80 and 97 Kms respectively from this shrine. The nearby large town is Tahrabad from where the base is 10 Kms away where taxis and buses are available. At the base, there is a village of Bhilwad. The distance between the temples at the base and the temple on the mountain top is 7 Kms. The ascent on the mountain is 1.5 Kms and there are a total of 3260 steps cut to reach the temple. Dhuliya is around 105 Kms and Nasik around 122 Kms away from this shrine.

AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :

At the base, there is a dharamshala where all facilities are available including that of a bhojanshala for meals. There are chair-carriers available to take the elders to the mountain temple.