Jain Journal 1976 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 28

The Builder of the Garden Temple
RAMA KANT JAIN
In his 'Jaina Architecture on Philately' in the April 1975 issue of the Jain Journal., Sri Naresh Kumar Jain gave an account of the six Jaina shrines which during the last 45 years found place among the innumerable postal stamps issued in commemoration of something or the other by the philatelic department or clubs in India. Of the six shrines, five are ancient or mediaeval and one is comparatively modern. The postal stamps of Girnar hills, Adinath temple at Satrunjaya and the Jalmandir at Pavapuri, the First Day Cover issued on 13-11-1974 depicting the picture of Ranakpur temple and the Jalpex cancellation issued by the Hasan Philatelic Club on 15-8-1973 with the figure of Bahubali are the specimens of ancient and mediaeval architecture and sculpture. The modern architecture is represented by the Garden Temple of Calcutta. In the chronological order it was the second Jaina monument to find place on philately and the first to be included by the Indian Postal Department among the seven stamps issued on May 6, 1935 in commemoration of the silver jubilee of the reign of King George V. In its black and bright violet colours the postal stamps of 1 annas denomination presented a good look of the temple. It was really a great honour for a Jaina piece of architecture to find depiction on philately and the temple, which has been, ever since its erection, an object of joy to countless devotees, tourists and sightseers, fully deserved it. From the article of Sri Naresh Kumar Jain we learn that the temple was consecrated to Bhagwan Sitalanath, the 10th Tirthankara, and was built by Rai Badridas Bahadur, Mookim of Viceroy, in the year 1868 A.D. The readers may like to know more about the builder of this beautiful temple which attracts a number of visitors from lands near and far off everyday.
The credit of building the temple goes to Rai Bahadur Badridas, but it was actually his mother, Khushal Kunwari, who had inspired him to build it. Khushal Kunwari is said to have lived for seventy-six years (1798 A.D. to 1874 A.D.) and led a simple and pious life.
Badridas was born to Khushal Kunwari on November 26, 1832 at Lucknow in a Shrimal Jain family. His father Lala Kalkadas and grandfather Lala Vijai Singh were engaged in jewellery business at Lucknow. By the time Badridas had grown up, the life at Lucknow