CHANASMA TIRTH

Categories : All Jain Tirth

CHANASMA TIRTH

SHRI CHANASMA TIRTH

PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :

Shri Bhateva Parshvanath Bhagwan with Sri Dharnendra Dev and Goddess Padmavati in the “Parikar”, in tobacco color and seated in a lotus posture, of height 23 Cms in the village of Chanasma. (Shve).

ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :

From references with corroborative testimony available in connection with this shrine, it is believed to have been found around the period of 14th Vikram century. It is stated that some centuries ago, one Jain householder named Surchandra an inhabitant of village Bhatuar near Idar, as good luck would have it, discovered this idol from underneath the ground. Since that moment, Surchandra became more and more fortunate and day by day his prosperity went on increasing and the family became affluent. In the course of time, his fame spread far and wide so much so that the king of Idar became jealous of him and the latter started demanding from him the idol for the state. Surchandra buried back the idol for protection. From the dynastic records of Visa Shrimali Kul it is found that when Sri Jayant, a Jain householder emigrating from Nareli had settled down in this area where his father-in-law lived, he had got this beautiful temple built as a result of having religious discourses from Acharya Sri Ajitsinhsuriji of Anchal Gachchha and at that time this idol of Sri Bhateva Parshvanath Prabhu was ceremonially consecrated and installed in the temple in Vikram year 1335. From one another reference it is also found that a Jain householder Ravichandra of Chanasma after building a temple here had got this idol ceremonially installed in Vikram year 1535. It is possible that at this time, repairs and renovations to this temple may have been again carried out. From all these accounts it is evident that this pleasing idol is very ancient and that due to adverse circumstances in the course of time it may have remained buried under the earth for certain periods. As the idol was discovered from the earth in Bhataur village, people may have started naming it as Bhateva Parshvanath.

This idol made of sand is highly impressive and pleasing. As earlier stated Shravak Surchandra who discovered the idol had become unbelievably rich soon thereafter and even today faithful and devout followers on worshipping the idol do obtain incredible benefits. There is no other Jain temple here. The architecture of the temple is attractive and the sand idol together with the “Parikar” containing figures of Sri Dharnendra Padmavati makes it more so.

APPROACH – ROUTE :

From the railway station of Chanasma which is on Mehsana-Harij road, the temple is 1 Km away, Kamboi is 16 Kms and MEhsana is 32 Kms away from here. Cars and buses can go upto the temple.