Jain Digest 2009 03 Vol 28 No 1

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 13

Pratishtha Reports
Phoenix Pratishtha Mahotsav : A Jain Temple Rises in Valley of Sun
December 19th through December 26th 2008 will be cherished by community members of Jain Center of Greater Phoenix (CGP) and also by hundreds of jains from all over world who attended Pratishtha Mahotsav during these days in the valley of sun, Phoenix, Arizona. Starting with land purchase by community members in March 2005, Bhomi poojan in July 2005 and Shilanyas in October 2007 this magnificent temple was build in record time and months of pratishtha mahotsav planning made for a successful PanchKalyanak Pratishtha Mahotsav. The temple has a non-sectarian layout. While looking into Gabhara there are two 51 inch Murtis in beautiful marble housing; Adinath Bhagwan (swetambar) on right and Mahavir Swami (Digambar) on left. Navkar Mantra engraved in glass will be in between the two these two murtis. The Bhamti area around these two Murtis consists of 15 inch murtis of 24 tirthankar bhagwans in individual gokhalas. 1 through 12 murits are Digambar Murtis and 13 through 23 murtis are Swetambar Murtis. This is the first Jain temple in USA to have all tirthankar Bhagwan murti's pratisthit with Anjanshalaka or Ankanyas vidhi/ceremony. Thirteen swetambar murtis including mulnayak Aadinath Bhagwan's anjanshalaka was performed by Param Pujya Gachhadhipati Aacharya Shri Vijay Jayghoshsurishwariji Maharaj Saheb in Vikhroli, Mumbai. Thirteen digamabar murtis including mulnayak Mahavri Swami's ankanyas vidhi
was performed Pratishthacharya Shri Abhinandanji during Pratishtha Mahotsav. The ceiling covering the Rangmandap has lokakash shape representing Jain Universe. The gabhara and rangmandap covers about 5000 sq ft space and has glass doors with "Aum" engraved on the glass doors leading to rangmandap. Ghantakaran, Padmavati, Laxmi Devi and Saraswati Devi are located in gokhalas just outside rangmandap near main entrance. A separate 400 sq ft Guru Mandir room consists of chitrapats of Guru Gautam Swami, Acharya Kunda Kundacharya, Shrimad Rajchnadra and Kanji Swami along with Aatma Sidhi and Bhaktamar Stotra frames. The traditional Indian architecture temple building consists of about 12000 sq ft space along with a 2500 ft house on a 4 acre property. The temple complex also consists of a majestic arch of pink sandstone (Toran Dwar), 41 feet tall Ahimsa Stambh (Non violence monument) made of white marble and beautiful desert landscaping. The temple has pillars carved in India and beautiful "jalis" in patio or in exterior. The interior of temple is white marble with beautiful medallions in between. Shri Jinbimb Panch Kalyanak Pratishtha Mahotsav, a first of its kind in USA was conducted by team from Tirthdham Mangayatan, Aligarh, India and shri Narendrabhai Nandu, Mumbai. The Pratishtha Mahotsav was witnessed by hundreds jain from all over world as well as local non-jain community. Among the dignitaries present were samaniji Akshaya Pragya and Vinay Pragya, Pujaya Shri Rakeshbhai Zaveri, Padamshri Dr. Kumarpal Desai, Dr. Hukumchand Bharill, Dr. Jitendra Shah, Shri Vimaldada Jhangiri, Shri Virendra Jain.
Rangmandap
Bbamati Murtis
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Jain Digest Winter 2009 Jain Education International