SHRI MEHSANA TIRTH
PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :
Sri Simandhar Swami in white color seated in a lotus posture, of height 3.68 meters in a shrine outside the town of MEhsana on the main road. (Shve).
ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :
From available stone inscriptions it becomes evident that this town belongs to a period earlier than 15th Vikram century. In a temple of Sri Shanthinath Bhagwan at Jamnagar, on the metal idol an inscription is found that it was ceremonially installed by Shreshthi Sri Virpal, a resident of Mehsana. This shows that Mehsana existed before. There is a possibility of temple existing here in MEhsana before 15th Vikram century. At present the biggest and the oldest temple is in market area where the Presiding Deity is Sri Manmohan Parshvanath Bhagwan. In this temple there is also ancient idol of a householder gentleman on which there is an inscription dated Ashadh Sukla 9 in Vikram year 1257.Here in the temple of Sri Sumatinath Bhagwan there is an idol of One Acharya Maharaj on which there is an inscription also of the same date and year. It is possible, the idol many be of Acharya Sri Hemchandracharya. The construction of the temple of Sri Simandhar Swami began at the inspiration of the most revered Acharya Sri Kailasasagarsurishvarji in the present century. The temple’s consecration ceremony was performed on Vaishakh Sukla 6 in Vikram year 2028.
According to Jain scriptures, Sri Simandhar Swami after obtaining Keval Gnan is still moving about physically in “Purva Maha Videh Kshetra” (this area is designated in Jain cosmology). Such a temple of Sri Simandhar Swami, located in an extraordinary large compound, built in a special architectural style and with sky-reaching Shikhar is the first of its kind throughout India. The large size idol of the Lord is just gorgeous and highly impressive. It is so vivid that one feels the physical presence of the Lord and this fact alone is the uniqueness of this temple. Besides this temple, there are other 14 Jain temples in the town where many other institutions and organizations are also actively working. The work of Sri Yashovijay Sanskrit Pathshala is particularly praise worthy. Many students from here have been initiated as Jain saints and several have become Jain religious teachers.
APPROACH – ROUTE :
The railway station of Mehsana Junction is 1.5 Kms away from the temple. From the town bus stand, the temple is 2 Kms away. Ahemdabad is 74 Kms, Taranga 80 Kms, Valam 30 Kms, Sherisa 60 Kms, Mahudi 58 Kms, Shankeshwar 100 Kms and Abu is around 150 Kms from this shrine. There is a tar road upto the temple which is located in Ahemdabad-Delhi national highway. From all these places buses and taxis are available.
AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :
In the courtyard of the temple, there is a large dharamshala with all facilities and a bhojanshala. In the town also, there is a dharamshala and a bhojanshala.
MANAGED BY :
Sri Simandhar Swami Jain Mandir Pedhi
National Highway road,
P.O. Mehsana – 384 002
Gujarat.
Tel: Pedhi : 02762 – 51674
Dharamshala : 02762 – 51087.
