SHRI RATNAPURI TIRTH
PRESIDING DEITY AND LOCATION :
Sri Dharamnath Bhagwan and his Foot-Prints inall four directions I Black Color (Shve) and Sri Dharamnath Bhagwan in white color seated in a lotus posture and of height 90Cms (Dig) both shrines located in Ronahi village.
ANTIQUITY AND SALIENT FEATURES :
History of this shrine commences with Sri Dharamnath Bhagwan. The four Kalnayaks viz Chyavan, janm, Diksha and Keval Gnan of Bhagwan Sri Dharamnath took place here. Todays Ronahi village, once upon a time was the flourishing city called Ratnapur.
On the night of Vaishakh Sukla Saptami when the constellation of Pushya was ruling, the soul of Sri Dradharath entered the womb of queen Suvrata, wife of king Bhanu who reigned here. At that very moment the mother-to-be saw dreams in her sleep indicative of the birth of a Tirthankar. Gods in the heaven led by their chief Indra instantly celebrated the Chyavan Kalnayak and after the pregnancy period was over, the queen gave birth to a son with Vajra Lakshan during the rule of the constellation Pushya Maha Sukla 3. When Bhagwan was in her womb, the queen had a craving for religious practices (“Dharam”) and therefore Bhagwan’s name was given as “Dharamnath” (Lord of Religion). The brith too was celebrated by Gods and the people with great éclat and joy. (Digamber tradition states the birth date as on Maha Sukla 13).
On the attainment of youth, Bhagwan got married andafter the rule of five thousand years he decided to take Diksha. Giving therefore all his wealth and belonging incharity during one full year before the Diksha, he renounced the wordly life in the garden by the name of Prakanchan. He together with one thousand kings took Diksha iN Maha Sukla 13 during the rule of Pushya constellation. Wandering thereafter as a Jain monk for a period of two years, he returned to the same garden andsat I intense meditation under the tree named “Dadhupurna”. He attained Keval Gnan on Posh Sukla Panchami also during the rule of Pushya constellation.
Many temples may have been sonstructed on this land as it happened to be the place where four Kalnayaks of Bhagwan had occurred and there is no doubt that in the course of time they may have been worn out and ruined. This place has been referred to under the name of Ratnapur in the composition known as “Vividh Tirthkalps” by Acharya Sri Jinaprabhasurishvarji in the 14th Century. Today however there are four ancient temples, two each of Swetambers andDigamber. Local people call Bhagwan as “Dharamraj” and perform the ceremony of his abhishek with great devotion. And it is believed, this fulfills all their hopes and aspirations. No objects of ancient art is available here today. It is possible that they may have been removed to other places during various renovations carried out through centuries.
APPROACH – ROUTE :
Nearby Railway station is Sohalwal about 2Kms away where Rickshaws and taxis are available for transport. From Ayodhya on Ayodhya-Barabanki road this place is at a distance of 24Kms, fro Lucknow it is 110Kms and from Faizabad 18Kms away. There is a concrete road till the temple.
AMENITIES FOR JAIN PILGRIMS :
Adjacent to the temples, there are Swetamber and Digamber dharamshalas with all facilities.
MANAGED BY :
Sri Ayodhya and Ratnapuri Jain Swetamber Tirth Trust
P.O. Ronahi – 224 182
Dist : Faizabad, (UP)
Sri Dharamnath Digamber Jain Tirthkshetra Ratnapuri
P.O. Ronahi – 224 182
Dist : Faizabad, (UP).
