SHRI MATAR TIRTH
PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :
Sacha Dev Sri Sumathinath Bhagwan in white color, seated in a lotus posture of height 76 Cms in a shrine on the main road of Matar Village. (Shve).
ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :
This ancient and miraculous idol of Sri Sacha (true) Dev Sumati Prabhu was discovered from under the earth at village Suhunj near the village of Mahuva in the taluka of Mehemdabad in district Kheda on which an inscription was found that it was ceremonially consecrated and installed at the hands of Sri Laxmisagarsuriji on Sunday, Vaishakh Krishna 7 in Vikram year 1523. This idol was brought to Matar and after building there a magnificent temple was once again ceremonially consecrated and installed on Thursday, Jyest Sukla 3 in Vikram year 1854. Again thereafter renovations on the temple have been carried out and ceremonially consecrated and installed in Vikram year 2007 at the hands of Acharya Sri Siddhasensuriji and Sri Vijay Ramchandrasuriji.
When this idol seated in a chariot was being brought from Sunhunj to Matar in a procession attended by thousands of devotees, there were heavy floods due to torrential rails at the confluence of rivers Vatrak and Shedhi near Kheda. Every one, thought of staying put at the spot but the driver of the chariot carrying the idol say in front of him only sand instead of water. He therefore continued to drive the chariot along with all devotees following him and crossed the river in perfect safety. Everybody then acclaimed the idol as “Sacha Dev Chhe” (This is true God) and from that day the Lord began to be addressed as Sacha Sumatinath. Even after ceremonial installation in the temple of Matar village, miracles have continued to happen such as
(I) hearing of music in dance dramatics at night in the temple.
(2) receiving an advance indication about the spread of a contagious disease on the occasion of “ANjanshalaka” and paste application ceremony in the holy shrines of Sri Mt. SHatrunjay.
(3) the priest having an experience of being severely beaten on his disobeying the commands from the Guardian Deity of the temple.
(4) the idols getting transformed into different shapes and forms in a miraculous way due to divine power.
(5) the idols being sprinkled with liquid drops of various kings etc., etc.,
There is no other temple here nearby at present. In this temple, there is also installed an ancient, majestic, extremely powerful another idol of Sri Suparshvanath Bhagwan which was discovered from a farmland from under the ground in the village of Kheda. Both the idols and the art of the temple are worth seeing.
APPROACH – ROUTE :
The nearby railway station in Nadiad which is 16 Kms away. The nearby town is Kheda town which is 5 Kms away. At these places, buses and taxis are available. There is a tar road upto the temple. Ahemdabad is 45 Kms away and Baroda is 64 Kms away from this shrine.
AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :
There is a dharamshala nearby for lodging with all facilities and a bhojanshala for meals. There is an Upashraya near this temple.
MANAGED BY :
Sri Sacha Dev Karshana Pedhi
P.O. Matar – 387 530,
Dist : Kheda , Gujarat.
Tel: 02694 – 85530.
