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The Jain temples of Khajuraho are a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Khajuraho. [1] They are located in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, India, about 175 kilometres southeast of the city of Jhansi.
During the Chandela rule, many towns in Bundelkhand, including Khajuraho, were home to large and flourishing Jain communities. At Khajuraho the Jains apparently lived on the east side of town. A number of Jain temples from that period have survived in this part of Khajuraho in various states of preservation. Many Jain inscriptions from the Chandela period can be seen at Khajuraho. [2] All the Jain temples are now enclosed within a modern compound wall constructed in the 19th century, with the exception of the Ghantai temple, when the restoration of the temples was initiated. There is also an archaeological museum where historical Jain artifacts from the chandella period are preserved.
A key difference between the Jain temples and most other Khajuraho temples is that the Jain temples are alive with active praying and worship. Digambar Jain monks still visit from time to time and can be seen meditating, studying or preaching. [3] [4]
Two of the large temples still stand in a good state of preservation in the original form. The portico of the Adinath temple is a later addition. The enclosed Shantinath temple houses a massive monolithic Shantinath image. It also incorporates at least one other Chandella period temple. To the east of these temples are several small Chandella temples that have been restored using masonry. The temple complex underwent restoration in 1870 AD, when a Gajarath festival was organized by Kanchhedtilal Jain of Nagaur marking a renewal of the site accompanied by installations of new images, as indicated by the inscriptions. [5] The stone structures were stabilized using masonry and the Shantinath temple was constructed incorporating two Chandella period temples.
There is a museum called Sahu Shanti Prasad Jain Samgrahalaya right outside the main compound constructed in 1984 to house sculptures of historical and artistic merit. There is a dharmashala to the south for the pilgrims.
A number of Jain inscriptions from the Chandella period have been found in Khajurao. The earliest is the Samvat 1011 (AD 954) in the Parshvanath Temple, [6] and the last is Samvat 1234 (1177 AD, it is also the last Chandella era inscription in Khajuraho [7] ). [8] Pratishtha events must have taken place in Samvat 1205 and 1215 with multiple images of those years. During the time of Kirttivarman (reigned c. 1060–1100 CE), the capital shifted to Mahoba, and Khajuraho declined. The Jain activity resumed around samvat 1915 (1858 AD), when the temples were repaired and installation of new images was restarted.
This temple contains an inscription dating from 954 AD by its builder Pahila, mentioning donation of gardens and requesting future generations to safeguard the temple. It mentions Chandella Dhanga as the reigning king. [9]
A well known early magic square is found in this temple. [10] This is referred to as the Chautisa (Thirty-four) Yantra, since each sub-square sums to 34.
The Adinath Jain temple contains an idol with an inscription dated to year 1027 during the rule of Chandella king Madanavarman. The sculpture features Adinatha with an ushnisha on his head and dharmachakra with a small bull figure. [11]
The Shantinath Temple is a modern composite structure that incorporates sections of several temples and has several shrines. The main section has a 15 feet (4.6 m) idol of Lord Shantinath with an inscription of year 1028(V.S. 1085). [12]
The Ghantai Temple was built around 960 AD by Chandela kings of Khajuraho. This temple was dedicated to lord Rishabha as Chakreshvari is seen in this temple along with Nine planets and Gomukh yaksha. [13]
The Dilwara Temples or Delvada Temples are a group of Śvētāmbara Jain temples located about 2+1⁄2 kilometres from the Mount Abu settlement in Sirohi District, Rajasthan's only hill station. The earliest were built by Bhima-1 and supposedly designed or at least financed by Vastupala, Jain minister of Dholka. They date between the 11th and 16th centuries, forming some of the most famous monuments in the style of Māru-Gurjara architecture, famous for their use of a very pure white marble and intricate marble carvings. They are managed by Seth Shri Kalyanji Anandji Pedhi, Sirohi and are a pilgrimage place for Jains, and a significant general tourist attraction. Although Jains built many temples at other places in Rajasthan, the Dilwara temples are believed to be the most impressive.
The Chandelas of Jejakabhukti was an Indian dynasty in Central India. The Chandelas ruled much of the Bundelkhand region between the 9th and the 13th centuries. They belonged to the Chandel clan of the Rajputs.
Śhāntinātha or Śhānti is the sixteenth Tīrthaṅkara of Jainism in the present age. Shantinatha was born to King Vishvasena and Queen Aiira at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date is the thirteenth day of the Jyest Krishna month of the Indian calendar. He was also a Chakravartin and a Kamadeva. He ascended to the throne when he was 25 years old. After over 25,000 years at the throne, he became a Jain monk and started his penance. According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma.
The term Alha Khand is used to refer to poetic works in Hindi which consists of a number of ballads describing the brave acts of two 12th century Banaphar heroes, Alha and Udal, generals working for king Paramardi-Deva (Parmal) of Mahoba against Prithviraj Chauhan of Ajmer. The works has been entirely handed down by oral tradition and presently exists in many recensions, which differ from one another both in language and subject matter. The Bundeli, Bagheli, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Kannauji recensions are the most well known among these.
Deogarh is a village in Lalitpur district of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the right bank of Betwa River and to the west of Lalitpur hills. It is known for Gupta monuments and for many ancient monuments of Jain origins inside and outside the walls of the fort.
Uttar Pradesh, a state in north India has a long association with Jainism. Today the state is home to a number of Jain monuments, such as Jain Temples and Jain Tirths. There are around 213,267 Jains in Uttar Pradesh according to 2011 Census of India.
Jain sculptures or Jain idols are the images depicting Tirthankaras. These images are worshiped by the followers of Jainism. The sculpture can depict any of the twenty-four tirthankaras with images depicting Parshvanatha, Rishabhanatha, or Mahāvīra being more popular. Jain sculptures are an example of Jain art. There is a long history of construction of Jain sculptures. Early examples include Lohanipur Torsos which has been regarded to be from the Maurya period, and images from the Kushan period from Mathura.
Aharji is a historical pilgrimage site for Jainism in India. It is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on the road from Tikamgarh to Chhatarpur. This place is famous for Jain Temple.
The Akota Bronzes represent a rare and important set of 68 Jain images, dating to between the 6th and 12th centuries AD, which were found in the vicinity of Akota near Baroda in the Indian state of Gujarat. It includes rare Gupta period bronzes that have been widely used for comparison of Gupta period art.
Parshvanatha temple is a 10th-century Jain temple at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is now dedicated to Parshvanatha, although it was probably built as an Adinatha shrine during the Chandela period. Despite the temple's Jain affiliation, its exterior walls feature Vaishnavaite themes. The entrance has an inscription with a most-perfect magic square. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other temples in the Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
Adinatha temple is a Jain temple located at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is dedicated to the Jain tirthankara Adinatha, although its exterior walls also feature Hindu deities. This temple is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other temples in Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
Shantinatha temple is a Jain temple located among the Jain temple cluster in eastern Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. While its main deity is the Jain tirthankara Shantinatha, it includes 18 shrines with numerous Jain images.
The Ghantai temple, also known as the Ghanti temple, is a ruined Jain temple in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. Similar in style to the Parshvanatha temple, it was dedicated to the Jain tirthankara Rishabhanatha. This temple is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other temples in Khajuraho Group of Monuments.
The Chausath Yogini temple is a ruined Yogini temple in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. Dated to the late 9th century, it is the oldest surviving temple at Khajuraho. Unlike the Yogini temples at other places, it has a rectangular plan, but like them it is hypaethral, open to the air.
The Matangeshvara temple is a Shiva temple in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located among the Western group of temples. Among the Chandela-era monuments of Khajuraho, it is the only Hindu temple that is still actively used for worship.
The Chitragupta temple is an 11th-century temple dedicated to Lord Chitragupt and Lord Surya in the Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh, India. Architecturally, it is very similar to the nearby Jagadambi temple.
Navagarh is a Jain Tirth in India. It is located at the Nabai village near Sojna in central India in Uttar Pradesh, just across the border from Madhya Pradesh. It is 65 km east from Lalitpur and 110 km north from Sagar. This ancient cite was excavated in 1959. It is the only tirth in India where the main deity is the ancient image of Lord Aranatha, preserved in the ancient underground chamber.
The Jain Temple complex is group of 31 Jain temples located at Deogarh in Lalitpur district, Uttar Pradesh built around 8th to 17th century CE. The Jain complex in Deogarh are protected by the Department of Archaeology of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and managed through its Northern Circle Office located in Lucknow. ASI maintain an archaeological museum at the Deogarh site, which is noted for its treasured archaeological sculptures.
Arang Jain temples is group of three Jain temples in Arang, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. These temples dates back to the 9th and 11th centuries.
Maladevi Temple is a Jain temple located in Gyaraspur town of Vidisha in state of Madhya Pradesh, India.