SHRI MUDBIDRI TIRTH

PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :

Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan in a standing posture in black color, and of height 4.5 meters in a shrine in Mudbidri village. The temple is also known as Guruvasadi (Siddhanta Mandir) (Dig).

ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :

From reliable historical evidence it is found that in 4th century B.C. when Shritkevali Sri Bhadrabahu accompanied by Maurya Emperor Sri Chandragupta and 12000 saint disciples migrating from the north arrived and resided in Shravanbelgola in the south of India, a great number of disciples out of them went and preached Jain religion in Tamil, Telugu, Karnataka and Taulab areas.

Coming to Mudbidri, these and other native saints by giving religious discourses to Jain householder families trading with foreign islands and countries got numerous Jain temples built here. For centuries, a great prosperity was evident in the area and a number of Jain kings exercised supreme authority. In the course of time as years and centuries rolled on, there was a decline, ruin and desolation when only dense vegetarian, wild trees and plants, reigned supreme creating only thick, large forests. Once an erudite scholar Muni Maharaj, who came here from Shravanbelgola in the 8th Vikram century while describing the place was stated that he saw a cow and tiger playing together in affection. Such an unprecedented scene surprised the great Muni and he started an extensive search to find out the mystery. Densely covered among trees and creepers, he saw at last a large size idol of Sri Parshvanath Bhagwan. On the same spot, he arranged for the building of huge magnificent Jain temple and in the year 714 A.D. he ceremonially installed the idol therein.

This holy place having been discovered by a Guru, the temple is famous by the name of Guruvasadi. As the temple also houses three great sculptures in manuscripts entitled Dhaval, Jaidhaval, and Mahadhaval, it is called Siddant Mandir (temple of housing principles of Jainism) too.

The idol of the Lord that is extremely beautiful, enchanting and a worker of miracles is extra-ordinary. There are 35 idols made out if nine jewels in the temple. The sight of these idols is described as Siddhant Darshan. For every lover of Jainism, the sight of these idols is considered holy and meritorious. Anywhere else, such a sight is impossible.

It is said that the Jain Householders of this area were well known for their trade with foreign islands and countries. While visiting these foreign lands, they uses to carry with them precious jewel idols. It is possible that the present idols in the temple might have been kept by them.

Besides this temple (Guruvasadi), there are 17 more temples and all of them are ancient.

The description of the artistry of the idols installed in these temples is beyond words. The stone from which such a sparkling idol of Sri Parshvanath Prabhu has been modeled is unknown and is difficult to know about. Anywhere else such an idol is rarely found. The idols made out of precious nine jewels are chiseled in an unique style. Nearby the temple, there is a temple which is known as “Tribhuvan Chudamani Mandir” (the crest jewel temple of the three worlds) with one thousand pillars and built in the year 1430AD. Here Srimati Nagaldevi, chief queen of King Bhairav has built a majestic hall called “Bhairadevi” below which are numerous pictures, images and paintings drawn and carved. The idol of the presiding Deity Sri Chandraprabhu Bhagwan installed in this temple is in a standing posture, cast in five metals and of height about 2.7 meters. Compared to other idols similarly made of five metals, this idol is considered to be of a very superior type. In this temple there are numerous stone and five metal compound. The sculpture art displayed on large pillars of the hall of the royal court of a Jain king of Choutar dynasty where an elephant with nine She-elephants and a horse with five mares (She-horses) are depicted in carving is indeed worth seeing.

APPROACH – ROUTE :

The nearby railway station of Mangalore is 35Kms away, where buses and taxis are available. This village if Mudbidri is located in Mangalore-Shimoga road and there is a tar road upto the temple.

AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :

There are dharamshalas, cottages, guest houses in the village for lodging with all facilities. Meals can be arranged for on advance intimation to the Pedhi.