All India Jain Temples and Tourist Places

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

Page 36

(9) Veerayathan: An exhibition of dolls depicting life and darshan of Lord Mahavira.
(10) Hot water springs : Opposite to the I hill Vipulachal there are number of hot water springs in the shape of falls and wells. The high temperature of the springs are due to the presence of radium and the water is believed to be good for certain skin diseases. 46. VAISHALI (36 kms from Hajipur)
Earlier this was known as Kundgram and is the birthplace of Bhagawan Mahavir. Though the Kundlapur near Nalanda is believed to be the birth place of a Lord Mahavira, the latest exacavation and research shows that Vaishali is the birth place of lord Mahavira.
Both Mahavira and Buddha visited this place several times. 47. ARA : (70kms from Patna)
This is an important city of Bihar state and is an important jaina centre. There are about 14 jain temples here.
At jain Mahilashrama here in Dharma Kunj, women come from distant places and take 'Dharmic Sikshan' here. Jain Siddanta Bhavan here has the collection of many valuable jain scriptures.
Dharmashala : Maina Sundari Digambar Jain Dharmashala, Jail Road, Ara. 48. PATNA :(capital city of Bihar, 246 kms from Varanasi, Siddakshetra)
This was known as Pataliputra in the Maurya period. Chandragupta Maurya ruled from here. Chandragupta after taking Munidiskha here left to South with Bhadrabahu muni.
Sudarshana muni took nirvan from here whose foot prints are there in a mandir at Gulzar Baugh. A temple dedicated to Neminatha and a Dharmashala is there.
WEST BENGAL :
Bengal was known as Gauda, Vanga in ancient times. The Palas, who ruled from her were great patrons of art and learning.
Religion itself responded to the new humanism with the birth of reformist Brahmosamaj and the resurgence of Hinduism itself. The most important exponents of this movement were pandit Iswerchandra Vidyasagar, Bankim chandra Chatterjee and Swami Vivekananda with
29