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Locating probable unexplored Archaeological
sites for Ashtapad near Kailash in Tibet
P.S. Thakker
Jain Center of America, New York (JCA) has been gifted with a model of Shri Ashtapad Maha Tirth. The center is working on a project to locate it in the present times. Three field trips were organized to find out the existence of Ashtapad near Kailash in central Himalayas during 2006, 2007 and 2009. For this purpose a team consisting of scientists, scholars, translators, climbers and a professional photographer were sent with a person who had visited Kailash few times earlier. I had the privilege of exploring Kailash Mansarovar area. during all three field trips. According to Jain belief, Lord Rushabhdev was the first Tirthankar of present age (Avsarpini) hence the name Aadinath. He was an Arhat - a liberated soul. As per Jain scripture he was a King and he taught Asi, Masi and Krishi to the society. Bhagwan Rushabhdev had attained Nirvana at Ashtapad near Mt. Kailash in Tibet. In his memory, his son King Bharat constructed a temple at the place of Nirvana on Ashtapad Mountain. Present status of Ashtapad Maha Tirth is invisible and unknown. The type of this temple was Sarvatobhadra, Chaturmukhi. Nobody has seen the temple in this shape. Only literary evidences are available from the scripture. At present the location of Ashtapad Mountain is also debatable. One school of thought is that the Kailash itself is the Ashtapad whereas other school of thought is that Kailash and Ashtapad mountains are different mountains and not the same, but the exact location of Ashtapad is unknown. Researchers and pilgrims visit Kailash Mansarovar region in a hope to know something more and get some new information about Ashtapad. It is believed that it is buried somewhere in this region.It has not yet been located precisely and few attempts have been made to locate the same. It is believed that there are 9 possible sites as per the information gathered from various sources. Probable locations are: 1) Kailash 2) Bonari 3) Barkha Plains 4) Ashtapad near Tarboche 5) Nandi Parvat 6) Ashtapad Mountain between Gyangdrag monastery and Serlung Gompa 7) Gyangdrag or Gangta monastery and hillock to the north of it 8) 13 Drigung at the base of Kailash 9) Trinetra or Gombo Phang The measurement of Ashtapad temple is one yojan in length, two kosh in width and three kosh in height. (Vol. II pg.526) whereas according to Munishree Panyas Nandi Ghosh Vijayji Maharaj the temple or chaitya is two gau in width and four gau in length, and the height is three gau. This
Ref. Vol. XX Ch. 151 A Pg. 8561-8639
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Locating probable unexplored Archaeological site...
