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પપ૬
અચલગચ્છ દિદન dabad, built by Cutch workmen, under the superintendence of Salat Nathu of Sabharai. Through a very rich two storied entrance gate, and outer yard surrounded by buildings set apart for the use of priests, opens into a walled quadrangle, on a plinth six feet nine inches high, reached by a flight of fisteen steps, is the temple, 78 feet long, 69 wide and 73-1/2 high, supported on three sides by rich two-storied domed porches. The domed hall, mandap, rises in two stories, and over the shrine is a spire with richly carved figures, niches and mouldings. Inside, the hall the mandap surrounded by aisles or verandahs with a richly designed pavements of different coloured marbles, has twenty two pilasters and sixteen pillars, and a dome supported on eight pillars with foiled arches and streets. Inside of a wall, chiefly formed of twenty pillars richly carved with flowers, leaves and creep ers, is the shrine, where, supported on either side by seven small figures is a large image of Shantinath crowned with a golden crown, and seated cross legged on a richly carved marble throne. The upper storey of the hall, reached by stone steps from the south-west porches, has a corridor with rich shrines each containing a large marble sitting image. Below the hall there is a underground shrine, with about 25 large white marble figures with precious stones set into the eyes, chests and arms. Besides the underground shrine there is a secret cellar especially prepared against a time of trouble.
૨૪૪૩. “આઆિછકલ સર્વે ઓફ વેસ્ટ ઈન્ડિયા' ના કચ્છ વિષયક અહેવાલમાં, આ મંદિરનો શિલાલેખ તેના નકશાઓ ઈત્યાદિ સાથે જિનાલયનાં સ્થાપત્ય વિશે, તેના વિદ્વાન સંપાદક દલપતરામ પ્રાણજીવન ખખરે સુંદર પ્રકાશ પાડેલ છે. ડૉ. બર્જેસનાં માર્ગદર્શન હેઠળ આ અહેવાલ તૈયાર થયેલ હેઈને ખૂબ જ પ્રમાણભૂત છે. અહીં એ અહેવાલનાં અવતરણને ઉધૂત કરવું પ્રાપ્ત
2888. The temple of Shantinath (if-aart) at Kothara was built in Samvat 1918 by the Oswal Vaniyas ( suratos aforet) originally of Kothara, but now residing in Bombay. They spent 1600000 Koris, onehalf of which was contributed by Sah Velji Malu (1 aout hig), and the other half in equal shares by Sah Keshavji Naik (शा केशवजी नायक) and Sivaji Nensi (faraft Agret) (Vide Ins. No. 1, App. No. I).
It was built after the style of one at Ahmedabad, and is the best in Kachh. It is 78 feet long, 69 feet wide, and 73 feet 6. inches
Shree Sudharaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
