Other Temples In Sirohi

Sirohi is city of temples. There are more than twenty large Shwetambra Jain temples in Sirohi City. Out of these 19 temples are built in a row at Aravali hills. Most of these temples were built during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The earliest of the thirty-four, inscriptions found in these temples tell us the history from the year 1167 AD.

A cluster of temple sikhars at the foot of the aravali hills in natural surroundings of great beauty gives an unforgettable impression of a divine abode. In every temple here there are carved figures of gods and goddesses on marble pillars, arches and ceilings of superb beauty and arts.

In Vikram year 1634 on Maha Sukla 5, Acharya Sri Hirvijaysurishvarji had ceremoniously consecrated an extra-large-four-storey temple dedicated to Sri Adinath ji Bhagwan as symbolized by the latter’s four fold idol (Choumukhji) which today stands as the most prominent creation of art. This is also known as Choumukhji Jain Temple in Sirohi. The street leading to these temples is recognised as Jain Mandir Gali or Jain Temple Street.

In the temple of Sri Adinath Bhagwan with surrounding 52 small single room shrines, the iconography of the idol of Sri Adinath Bhagwan is extraordinary. The entire temple is built with Marble. The arches on the gates. Pillars & in halls, this large Chaumukh temple of Sri Adinath (Adheshwar) Bhagwan is fully artistic creations and is extremely attractive.

The idol of the four-mouthed Bhagawan Adishvar in the four-storeyed temple was installed in the year 1634 of the Vikra era. In Paushadhshala adjacent to the temple of Anchal Gachchha, there is the idol of Goddess Saraswati ceremonially sanctified by Bhattarakji Sri Purnachandrasuriji on Vaishakh Sukla 3 in Vikram year 1492. In the temple of 52 idols, the idol of Mulnayak Bhagawan Adinath is studded with gems. The sculpture is very beautiful. One hundred ancient idols of Panch dhatu (five metals alloy) are very delightful. The sculpture of arched-gates, pillars and the pendal in the four-mouthed temple is sighty.

There is an underground passage from the door of the “Rangmandap” of the inner sanctum located behind in the temple of Sri Adinath Bhagwan with 52 surrounding small single room shrines upto the King’s palace which perhaps may have been made to enable the queen, daughters etc., of the king to silently visit the temple unseen and offer their prayers in solitude. The local Kings participated in the activities of religion with great devotion and they had intense faith in Jain religion.

In this temple of Sri Sambhavnath Bhagwan, the idol of the Presiding Deity himself is worth seeing.

In the temple of Sri Ajithnath Bhagwan two idols in standing posture fabulously decorated with ornaments and jewels are very beautiful and attractive.

Bhattarak Sri Haribhashrishvarji in Vikram year 1520 had performed here ceremonies for the consecration of the temple dedicated to Sri Chintamani Parshvanath Bhagwan where there is also an idol of Sri Hirvijayasurishvarji of 3 feet height with an inscription dated Vikram year 1659.

A reference is available that In Vikram year 1657 Sri Jinchandrasurishvarji ceremonially consecrated here the temple of Sri Shanthinath Bhagwan where in the idol of Dada Sri Jinduttsurishvarji and Sri Jinkushalsurishvarji with inscriptions dated Vikram year 1661 are also available in this temple.

Sirohi was said to be built in about the fourth century BC under the name of Shivapuri. Sri Sheshmalji Chouhan , son of Maharao Shivban founded this town in Vikram year 1482. Before finding this town, a Shreshti , while passing through the area for trade, was pleased by the area as extraordinary pure and peaceful. He started construction of a temple here of Sri Adinath Bhagwan on an auspicious day viz Asoj Sukla 5 in Vikram year 1323. A reference is found which states that on completion of the temple it was ceremonially consecrated on Ashadh Sukla 13 in Vikram year 1339. This temple is known as the temple of Anchal Gachchha. In “Tirthmala” a composition of Panyas Sri Meghgani in Vikram year 1499, this temple is fully described. In Vikram year 1424 on Karthik Poornima, another temple of Sri Adinath Bhagwan with 52 surroundings small room shrines was also ceremonially consecrated. Besides these, several magnificent temples came to be built here which are still existent . The special point for mentioning in connection with these temples is that even when the town was not founded, it struck as pure and peaceful to a passing trader worthy enough for building such an excellent temple and it was only after several years that the town was founded and then the area was crowded with people and got itself transformed into a s small city which still exists today. This is the result of holy thoughts generated prevailing purest of vibrations. Many great Acharyas did many religious activities here on this land of Jain Temples called Sirohi.

At present, there are 19 temples beside ancient temple of Bhagawan Adinath.

In order to get to Sirohi, travellers can drive down National Highway 14, which links it to Gujarat and Jodhpur. The State Highway 19 links the district with Jalore district. There are a good number of buses that run to and fro from these places.

There are several trains connecting the district with the rest of Rajasthan and India as a whole. The railway stations at Pindwara and Abu Road are the primary railway stations. Trains operating along the Ahmedabad-Delhi line pass through Sirohi district.

The airport at Udaipur is the nearest to the district, almost 140 km. This airport is served by a good number of flights from Jaipur and other cities. Sirohi also has an airstrip for private chartered planes.

Jain Dharmashla & Bhojanshala available at Jain V.C. behind Seth Shri Kalyanji Parmanandji Pedhi Trust Office in Sunarwada, Sirohi.