________________
220
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[AUGUST, 1913
MUKTAGIRI.
BY HIBA LAL, B. A.; NAGPUR. MUKTAGIRI or Salvation Hill is what is called a siddha-kshetra of Jainas, whence 3} crores (35 millions) of Jaipa devotees are said to bave obtained nirodna or salvation. Its old name is said to have been Medhagiri or Sheop Hill, because a sheep happened to fall from its top, but attained salvation owing to tbe sanctity of the place. It is referred to as Medhigiri in the Jaina book Nirvana-bhakti, in which the following gath occurs :
Achchalapura para niyade isanai bhaya Medhigiri sihare Ahuththaya kodio nivvána.
gayd namo tesi. "To the north-east of Achchalapura lies Medhigiri Hill (whence) 3} crores' attained nirvana. I bow down to it."
Achchalpura is the old name of Ellichpar, to the north-east of which lies Moktagiri, at a distance of about six miles. It is included in the Betúl district of the Central Provinces and is fifty-seven miles from Badnûr, the head-quarters of the district. The hill is included within the village of Thaporâ, and is about a mile away from the basts. It is reached by a country road, passing between two mountains rising high on either side, and presenting a most picta. resque view to the passer by. These two hills, which are parts of the Satpudâ range, meet at the point which was selected by the Jainas as their sacred place, where as many as 48 temples have been constructed, containing 85 idols of the various Tirtha karas, the principal one being Parsvanatha. Below the hill there is a new temple built in which twenty-five idols are enshrined, some being new and others being those of old temples on the bill, now bronght down below. The dates on these range from 1488 to 1893 A, D, The hill has two principal groups of temples, one at the highest point, containing four temples, which enshrine only the twenty-four pairs of charanas, or footmarks of the Tirthankaras or Jaina incarnations. As a matter of fact, however, there are 26 pairs instead of 24. The main group of temples is at the middle of the bill, and has a temple cut out from the rook. It is not exactly in the cave style, the roof being ornamented with artificial arches. The central and the largest temple is that of Pârsvanatha with a golden pinnacle on its top. The image inside is canopied with seven snake-hoods, one of which, the local tradition goes, was broken with a stick by Aurangzeb, whereapon a stream of blood shot forth, which restrained the iconoclast from making further injuries to the idol. It is believed that antil recently the blood mark was visible on the broken hood, but somehow or other it has now disappeared. The temple was apparently roofed, but a brick dome, as in almost all other temples, has been erected over it, fully on the Muhammadan style. To the west of this temple there are three temples made of stone. One has a small portico supported on four pillars, two of which belong to an old temple, which seems to have fallen down. The carvings on these pillars are beautifully execated, especially the one which occupies the south-west corner. It is ornamented with kirtimukhas and with carvings of bells suspended with chains, as also Jinas in standing and sitting postures. Inside the temple, of which this forms the portico, there are broken pieces of pillars and bikhara, which indicate the existence of an older temple here.
On a still higher level to the west of this temple is another old temple, which has an underground terrace. This is rather in a decayed state, and has bad to be supported by
1. Vinited on 18-8-10.
· The word is kodi, which is taken as a corruption of hot, but the more reasonable version would be to take it in the ordinary sense of & noore. It is very possible that 70 saints obtained nirvana from this hill.
