All India Jain Temples and Tourist Places

Author(s): B C Nagraj
Publisher: ITI Jains Association, Bangalore

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to six thirthankars - Shithalnatha, Vasupujya, Mallinath, Munisuvratha, Naminatha and Mahaveera. With respect to culture and dharma Bihar and U.P. compliments each other. If U.P. has given Sri Rama and Sri Krishna to the world, Bihar has given great persons like Mahaveera and Buddha. Without Sita the story of Sri Rama is incomplete. Sri Rama took his birth at Ayodhya of U.P. and Sitamata at Mithila of Bihar. Likewise the culture and civilisation of India started at U.P. and fully blossomed in Bihar. 32. BADRIKAPURI (BONDHAL village) & KULHA PAHAD : (65 kms from Gaya, Kalyanaka Kshetra)
Danthar village is about 65 kms from Gaya via Hunter ganj and Gangari. Badrikapuri is near to Danthar village where Garbha and Janma Kalyan of Lord Sheetalnath took place.
Kulhapahad is about 2 kms from Danthar. From here 3 kms uphill to be climbed. Here is a temple dedicated to Parshwanatha and about ten padmasan statues are here.
Danthar has a Dharmashala to stay. 33. SAMMED SHIKARJI: (174 kms from Gaya, 30 kms from Girdhi, Mahan Nirvana Siddakshetra)
Sri Sammed Shikar is the most sacred important and famous pilgrimage centre of the jains. This is a nirvana bhumi and is Tirtharaja among all the Jaina Tirthas. Twenty out of Twenty four thirthankars attained moksha from here. Apart from this innumerable munis performed penance here and took to salvation. It is believed that one who visits this place will be relieved of papa karma and acquire punya. It is said that one who visits this place will attain moksha within fifty births.
The traditional belief is that all the Thirthankaras are born at Ayodhya, the ‘Janmasthan' and attained nirvana at “Shikarji' the 'Nirvanasthan'.
The nirvansthan of each tirthankar was marked Swastik by Sowdharmendra and later padul a stone installed and enshrined by an enclosure ‘Tonk' individually.
Sammed Shikar is also known as “Parasnath Hill' after the name of Parshwanatha, the 23rd Thirthankara.
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