SHRI BALSANA TIRTH
PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :
Shri Vimalnath Bhagwan in black color seated in a lotus posture, of height 77 Cms in a shrine in the village of Balsana (Shve).
Book Dharamshala
ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :
It is believed from the history that the small village of this present Balsana was at some time a nagar covered by rivers on Saptapuda mountain in Khandesh.
Even today the artistic work in the specimen found in the ancient temples seen everywhere reminds one of the antiquity of this place.
With great fortune, a Patel family discovered an idol of Prabhu on a small hill near their house. The family with great happiness and joy placed the idol at their house and did Pooja etc., as per the rituals with great devotion.
Once the Jain community people came to know this the number of people coming to see the sight of the idol and get its blessings increased day by day. This idol of Prabhu Sri Vimalnath was very beautiful and impressive. After the idol was discovered not only the Patel family but also the whole village was peaceful and prospered. The Jain community of one nearby village requested the Patel family to hand over the idol to them but they did not agree to this.
From the sculpture work of the idol it is evident that this idol is at least 1500 years old and hence a temple would have existed at that time, there is no doubt about it.
In a nearby village “ Vardhaman Taponidhi” Acharya Srimad Vijaybhuvanbanusurishvarji’s, who was present these spending his Chaturmasya, disciple “Gunivarya Sri Vidhanandvijayji had an intuition that he should come to this shrine for darshan and get the blessings of Prabhu. After getting enthralled and impressed by the Maharaj’s discourse, the Patel family and the other villagers agreed to handover the idol, but had a condition that the temple should be built here.
Perhaps the idol of Prabhu which was excavated from the earth had to be sanctified at that place and the villagers also wanted to happen and were all to it. Looking at and considering everybody’s will Guru Bhagwant also wanted the idol of Prabhu to be kept in a temple which has to be constructed in the same place from where the idol was discovered. When Guru Maharaj announced this to the villagers, there was joy and they were filled with happiness.
After the construction of the temple, in Vikram year 2044 on Magwar Sukla Dasami the same idol was ceremonially consecrated at the hands and in the presence of Acharya Bhawant Sri Rajendrasuriji and Sri Vidhyanandvijayji (who was the cause of this temple)
The significance of the place is that after the idol was discovered there was total peace in the village and lot of miracles continued to happen after the idol was sanctified and consecrated. Jain and Non- Jains all used to pay visit here for Prabhu’s darshan.
This place is one of the main Teerth of the “Panch Teerth” This shrine is one of the ancient and most powerful of the Khandesh area, it is believed. Apart from this, there is a Dadawadi here.
The idol of Prabhu is very simple, sober but very charming. One is reminded of Ajanta-Ellora on seeing the idol that is intricately sculpted as used to be done in the ancient times.
APPROACH – ROUTE :
The nearby railway station is Doandiache and is 30 Kms and nandurbar 27 Kms away, from where autos, buses are available. Dhulia is 60 Kms, Near 55 Kms away from this shrine. This is located on Dondiache road which is 25 Kms from Chimdana, which in turn is 4 Kms from Sakri., situated on Surat-Nagpur highway.
AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :
For lodging a fully equipped dharamshala close to the temple and for meals a bhojanshala is available.
MANAGED BY :
Shri Vimalnath Swami Jain Swetamber Pedhi
P.O. Balsana 424 304
Dist : Dhulia , Maharashtra
