Holy Abu

Author(s): Jayantvijay
Publisher: Yashovijay Jain Granthmala

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[ Holy Abu
congregation to the various Tīrthas and undertook its financial responsibility. This pious act earned for them the honorific title of Sanghapati (Hindi-Sanghavi or Singhĩ). This infused great reality into the institution of Tirtha-Yatra amongst the Jaina community and achieved for it a vitality and continuity unknown elsewhere.
Of similar corporate instinct and magnitude was the conception of temple-cities amongst them. At some remote period the Jains turned their attention to sacred mountain tops and covered them with numerous religious shrines forming temple-cities (सं. - देवकुलपाटक from which देउलवाड़ा or fearer is derived). These mountain sanctuaries represent some of the most wonderful monuments of architecture and sculpture ever raised by the aspiring spirit of man. Each such Tirtha is a record of long centuries of devotion, which found expression in the building of religious shrines and also in the holding of great festivals at appointed intervals. Sammeta-Shikhara in Bihār, Arbudachala in south Rājasthāna, Shatruñjaya near Pālitāṇā in north-east Kathiawāḍ, Girnar near Junagadh in south Kathiawāḍ and Chandragiri in South India near Shravana-Belagola, were such outstanding Tīrthas.
The ancient mountain of Girnar was known as Urjayanta or Raivataka. We have a graphic account in
the Mahabharata of the Yatra-festival that was once held there by the Yadavas under the leadership of Kṛṣṇa. Such Yātrās formed part of ancient fairs, feasts and festivals held annually in honour of the local deities. Most probably this was the origin of the religious sanctity of these places in the remotest antiquity. To the Jainas, Girnar was also the place of Nirvāņa of Tīrthankara Neminatha and was thus regarded to be of exceptional sanctity.
Arbuda Shikhara or Abu also had an ancient temple