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A BIRD'S EYE-VIEW OF
SHRI 108 JAIN TIRTHDARSHAN BHAVAN SAMAVASARAN MAHAMANDIR
T he Jain religion can boast of grand and magnificent centres of
pilgrimage which bear witness to its glorious past. They symbolise devotion, philanthropy, selfless service, penance and the message of non-violence, non-acquisitiveness, equanimity preached by numerous Sadhus and Sadhvis and other pious souls. There are a number of Jain temples spread across the country and a few in foreign countries. It is not possible for all to visit them and show their devotion for a variety of reasons ranging from physical disability to bad economic conditions. People, therefore, seize the opportunity to visit Shri 108 Jain Tirthdarshan Bhavan and Shri Samavasaran Mahamandir and feel that they have achieved the summum bonum of life.
It is situated on the right as the as one climbs the holy Shatrunjaya hill. Every Jain, wherever he lives, desires to undertake a pilgrimage to Shri Shatrunjaya Tirth and therefore Shri 108 Jain Tirthdarshan Bhavan has been counstructed in Palitana, affording every devotee an opportunity for worship
The inspiration for its construction was provided by Shri Dahyabhai (Kikabhai) Ratanchand Kinariwala of Surat who got Shri 108 Jain Tirthadarshan prepared for Shri Suvidhinath temple. Here one finds on the walls, pictures (size 30" x 30") of mulnayak (main Tirthankar) of the ancient places of pilgrimage. It was inaugurated on Kartak Vad 2, in Vikram Samvat 2024, in the presence of Acharya Shri Vijaykastursurishvaraji Maharaj and Shri Chandroday vijaygani Maharaj. On the day of his initiation into order (diksha) on Posh Sud 11, Vikram Samvat 2026, an album of 108 Jain centres of pilgrimage was also published which incidentally narrates the history of mulnayak of 108 centres and the Shrine. It was, then, decided in Vikram Samvat 2028, to construct 108 Jain Tirthdarshan Bhavan and Samavasaran Mahamandir in Surendranagar.
Shri 108 Jain Tirthdarshan and Shri Samavasaran Mahamandir
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