106.Charup Parshwanath
Mulnayak: Nearly 120 cms. high, black-coloured idol of Bhagwan Shyamala Parshvanath in the Padmasana posture. There is an umbrella of 7 hoods over the head of the idol. This is one of the oldest idol of any Thirthankara.
Tirth: It is in the centre of the Charup village.
Historicity: This idol has a very ancient history. 2,222 years after the period of 16th Thirthankara Shri Naminath Bhagwan of the past chouvisi, Ashadi Shravak of Gaud Desh got made three beautiful idols of Thirthankaras and installed them. Lakhs of years went by. One day, when a businessman Dhan of Kantipur was going by sea, his ships stopped moving and became still. Any effort to make them move was futile and he did not know what to do. A divine voice asked him to take the miraculous idols from the depths of the ocean and install them and also told him the history of the idol. The idol of Bhagwan Parshvanath was installed in this temple of Charup under the auspices of Shri Devendrasurisvarji of the Nagendra Gachchha in the ninth century. The idol of Arishtanemi was installed in Patan and the third idol of Sthamban Parshvanath was installed in a temple on the banks of the Sedhi river. This temple fell into disorder after Vikram 18th century and came into the hands of the Non-Jains. In V.S. 1938, the Jain community of Patan took the management of the temple into their hands and renovated the temple. It was renovated again in V.S.1984. There is a reference that a temple of Shri Adinath Bhagwan was built here by Shresthi Sri Devchandra, a resident of Nagore in 13th Vikram century. There is another reference of Shresthi Shri Pethadshah building a temple of Shri Shanthinath Bhagwan here in the Vikram year 1320. Both these temples are not there now.
Other Temples: There are no other temples.
Works of art and Sculpture: This temple is beautified with huge elephants adorning the entrance of the temple. The idol in it is a matchless model of ancient art. The idol is a specimen of unequalled and unsurpassable ancient sculptural art. It depicts exquisitely the peace and equipoise, serenity and radiance, physical weakness but spiritual strength of a person in austerities and deep meditation. Such an idol can rarely be sighted anywhere else
Guidelines: The Charup railway station is at a distance of 1 km. from here. The nearest railway station of Patan is at a distance of 10 kms. Bus service and private vehicles are available. There are boarding and lodging facilities here. There is a good upashraya.
Scripture: A mention of this temple has been made in “Shri Parshvanath Stavan”, in “Gurvavali”, in “Shri Sankheswar Parshvanath Chand”, in “Shri Godi Parshvanath Stavan”, In “Tirthmala”, in “Shri Parshvanath Naammala”. etc. The idol of Charup Parshvanath is also known as Shyamala Parshvanath. The temple of Shyamala Parshvanath is there in many cities and towns in India.
Trust: Shri Charup Jain Shwetambar Shri Shyamala Parshvanath Mahatirth Pedhi, Charup: 384 285. District: Patan, Gujarat State, India. Phone: 02766 – 77568, 02766 – 77562
