Taranga (Jain Temple)
Encyclopedia
Taranga is a Svetambara
-affiliated Jain temple
and pilgrimage center
in Mehsana
district, Gujarat, India
. It was constructed in 1121 by the Solanki
king Kumarpal
, under the advice of his teacher Acharya Hemachandra
. A 2.75 m marble statue of Rishabha
is the central idol. The compound consists of 14 temples in all. There are also five Digambara
-affiliated temples at Taranga.
kshetra
. It is said that 35,000,000 monastics, including the Ganadhara
s Vardutta and Sagardutta, attained moksa
here. The two hillocks named Kotishila and Siddhashila have idols of the Tirthankaras Neminath
and Mallinath
of Vikram 1292. There are 14 Digambara temples in the foothills and a Digamabara dharamshala is at the foothills.
At some time in the twelfth century, Kumarpal, the Solanki king residing at Patan, who was himself a Svetambara, selected this site for the erection of an exceptionally beautiful temple in honor of Ajitnath. Under the inspiration and instructions of Kalikalasarvajna Acharya Hemchandra, this temple was built in the year 1200 of the Vikram era. Of the 108 names of Siddhachal, one name is ‘Tarangir’. For this reason, Taranga is regarded as a peak of Siddhachal. In the center of the main vast square of the length of 230 ft and the breadth 230 ft (70 m square), this temple is 50 ft long, 100 ft broad and 142 ft high (15 m by 30 m by 43 m). It has a perimeter of 639 ft (195 m). The 275 m (902 ft) high wooden summit of this temple is beautifully carved. It has seven domes. On the right hand side of the temple, there are foot-idols of Rishabha and of the 20 wandering Tirthankaras and on the left hand side, there are a temple of Gaumukh, the Samavasarana
, and the Jambudvipa
painting. On the outer platform of the main temple, there are idols of Padmavati
and King Kumarpal.
Some years earlier he had a temple built on Mount Shetrunjay near Palitana
. Built of light sandstone, the Taranga temple measures 45 meters in length by 30.4 meters in width and reaches up to a majestic height of 30.6 meters (148 ft by 100 ft by 100 ft). In its plan and design it resembles the Neminath temple on Mount Girnar and the above mentioned Rishabha temple on Shetrunjay. The temple on Mount Girnar is lower in height and less ornate, and the Shetrunjay Rishabha temple has lost some of its original features in the process of restoring damage caused by Muslim raiders
. During the last major renovation works the roofs and the stone carvings on the outer walls were cleared of thick layers of white paint.
On the highest elevation of the three-peaked hill there stands a so-called Tonk, a small building in the style of a Muslim grave. Built by Digambaras, it houses a marble statue of the nineteenth Tirthankara, Mallinath.
Svetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
-affiliated Jain temple
Derasar
A derasar is a temple for followers of Jainism, except for non-murtipujak Svetambaras. Derasar is a word used in Gujarat, Kutch and parts of Rajasthan, in other parts of India, the term Jain Mandir is used for all the Jain temples. Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped there...
and pilgrimage center
Tirtha
In Jainism, a tīrtha |ford]], a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha...
in Mehsana
Mehsana
Mahesana is a city and municipality in Mehsana district, in the Indian state of Gujarat.-City and surrounding area:Situated near Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Mehsana is one of the largest cities in North Gujarat; followed by Patan and Palanpur. A number of primary industries including dairy, oil...
district, Gujarat, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was constructed in 1121 by the Solanki
Solanki
The Solanki was a royal Hindu Indian dynasty that ruled parts of western and central India between the 10th to 13th centuries. A number of scholars including V. A. Smith assign them Gurjar origin....
king Kumarpal
Kumarpal
Kumarpal was a famous ruler of the Solanki dynasty of Gujarat at Anahilavada, India. During his reign, Jainism became prominent in Gujarat. He was a devoted disciple of the great Jain polymath Acharya Hemachandra. Kumarpal was responsible for restoring ruined Somnath. He also built several...
, under the advice of his teacher Acharya Hemachandra
Acharya Hemachandra
Acharya Hemachandra was a Jain scholar, poet, and polymath who wrote on grammar, philosophy, prosody, and contemporary history. Noted as a prodigy by his contemporaries, he gained the title Kalikāl Sarvagya "all-knowing of the Kali Yuga"....
. A 2.75 m marble statue of Rishabha
Rishabha (Jain tirthankar)
In Jainism, R̥ṣabha or Ādinātha , also known as the "Lord of Kesariya") was the first of the 24 Tīrthaṅkaras. According to Jain beliefs, R̥ṣabha founded the Ikshvaku dynasty and was the first Tīrthaṅkara of the present age...
is the central idol. The compound consists of 14 temples in all. There are also five Digambara
Digambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
-affiliated temples at Taranga.
History
Originally Digambaras settled on this isolated hill with its three rocky peaks. In Jainism, Taranaga is considered a siddhaSiddha
A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
kshetra
Tirtha
In Jainism, a tīrtha |ford]], a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha...
. It is said that 35,000,000 monastics, including the Ganadhara
Ganadhara
In Jainism, a Ganadhara "Troupe leader" is a primary disciple of a Tirthankara. All twenty-four Tirthankaras had ganadharas, but the number varied....
s Vardutta and Sagardutta, attained moksa
Moksa (Jainism)
' or Mokkha means liberation, salvation or emancipation of soul. It is a blissful state of existence of a soul, completely free from the karmic bondage, free from samsara, the cycle of birth and death. A liberated soul is said to have attained its true and pristine nature of infinite bliss,...
here. The two hillocks named Kotishila and Siddhashila have idols of the Tirthankaras Neminath
Neminath
Neminatha was twenty-second Jain Tirthankar of the present age . According to Jain beliefs, he became a Siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. He is also known as Arishtanemi He along with Rishabha or Adinatha is mentioned in the Rig Veda Samhita...
and Mallinath
Mallinath
Mallinath was the nineteenth Tīrthaṅkara "Ford-Maker" of the present avasarpiṇī age in Jainism. According to Jain beliefs, Mallinath became a siddha - a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Śvētāmbara Jaina beliefs hold that Mallinath was female, making her the only woman to become...
of Vikram 1292. There are 14 Digambara temples in the foothills and a Digamabara dharamshala is at the foothills.
At some time in the twelfth century, Kumarpal, the Solanki king residing at Patan, who was himself a Svetambara, selected this site for the erection of an exceptionally beautiful temple in honor of Ajitnath. Under the inspiration and instructions of Kalikalasarvajna Acharya Hemchandra, this temple was built in the year 1200 of the Vikram era. Of the 108 names of Siddhachal, one name is ‘Tarangir’. For this reason, Taranga is regarded as a peak of Siddhachal. In the center of the main vast square of the length of 230 ft and the breadth 230 ft (70 m square), this temple is 50 ft long, 100 ft broad and 142 ft high (15 m by 30 m by 43 m). It has a perimeter of 639 ft (195 m). The 275 m (902 ft) high wooden summit of this temple is beautifully carved. It has seven domes. On the right hand side of the temple, there are foot-idols of Rishabha and of the 20 wandering Tirthankaras and on the left hand side, there are a temple of Gaumukh, the Samavasarana
Samavasarana
Samavasarana or Samosarana "Refuge to All" is a Jain term for the divine preaching hall or the assembly of the Tirthankara after attaining perfect knowledge or Kevala Jnana. It also refers to the hall in which the speech is given...
, and the Jambudvipa
Jambudvipa
Jambudvīpa is the dvipa of the terrestrial world, as envisioned in the cosmologies of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, which is the realm where ordinary human beings live...
painting. On the outer platform of the main temple, there are idols of Padmavati
Padmavati (Jainism)
Padmāvatī is the protecting goddess or śāsanadevī of Pārśva, twenty-third Tīrthaṅkara in Jainism. She enjoys an independent religious life and is very popular amongst Jains. Padmāvatī is the main deity at Humbaj, the famous tirtha....
and King Kumarpal.
Some years earlier he had a temple built on Mount Shetrunjay near Palitana
Palitana
Palitana is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains.-History:...
. Built of light sandstone, the Taranga temple measures 45 meters in length by 30.4 meters in width and reaches up to a majestic height of 30.6 meters (148 ft by 100 ft by 100 ft). In its plan and design it resembles the Neminath temple on Mount Girnar and the above mentioned Rishabha temple on Shetrunjay. The temple on Mount Girnar is lower in height and less ornate, and the Shetrunjay Rishabha temple has lost some of its original features in the process of restoring damage caused by Muslim raiders
Ghazi
Ghazi is a title given to Muslim warriors or champions. It may be used out of respect or officially. Many of the Ottoman Sultans and Caliphs wore this title officially , along with Khan and Caesar...
. During the last major renovation works the roofs and the stone carvings on the outer walls were cleared of thick layers of white paint.
On the highest elevation of the three-peaked hill there stands a so-called Tonk, a small building in the style of a Muslim grave. Built by Digambaras, it houses a marble statue of the nineteenth Tirthankara, Mallinath.