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SHRI JAISALMER TIRTHA SHRI CHINTAMANI PARSHWANATH BHAGAVAN
This tirtha is situated in the fort on the hill adjoining Jaisalmar town that is at a distance of 140 miles from Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Here in the temple we have an idol of Mulanayaka Shri Chintamani Parshvanath Bhagavan. it is white in complexion, about 150 cms. in height and in Padmasana posture. There was a time when the town had many wealthy Jain Saravakas in it. A beauty that will make us spell- bound is found in the Jain architectures of Jaisalmar. Architects have not left any space on any stone on which art carved on it cannot be shown. Again, the yellow stone of this area is very hard and carving art on it is no small amatter. In the whole country, Jaisalmer is the only place in which artistry is visible not only in temples but also in balconies and porticos of houses in all subtlety. There are about seven thousand Jina idols over here, seven libraries with rare palm-leaf manuscripts; there are eighteen Upashrayas. The idol of Shri Chintamani Parshvanath Bhagavan is simply majestic. At the entrance door there are hundreds of art-pieces on the two attractive pillars, there are inner apartments, Gudhamandapas, festival pandals and Bhamatis in which there are Shrungarachowkis of 51 Shrines. In the Gabharas there is an anointed idol of Mulanayaka Bhagavan. The unique and majestic idols of a period earlier that the 14th century are uniquely artistic. On the second day of the bright half of falguna in V.S. 1263, there was a fall down of the idol and it was shifted, brought here and ceremoniously installed. There are references of installations in V.S. 1459 and 1473, as well.
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