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THE JAINA GAZETTE the Maharaja's anger turned into surprise. He ordered the release of the treasurer and called him to himself and inquired : “Who is your Ishta " (Saviour or Protector)? The man answered "Lord Mahavira." At this the Maharaja was satisfied and himself gave some money with which the present central Temple is said to have been built. Thus the Image came to be installed for good in its present position.
Before the Jaina community slid down to its present low position, His Holiness the Battaraka. Priest Custodian of the Temple, was given almost Royal Honours even by the Mohammedan Emperors who supplanted the Jaina and Hindu Rulers of India. One of the Bhattarakas is credited with having possessed a Magic Carpet like the one mentioned in the Arabian Nights, which could take a man to any place where he wished to go. it only he sat on it and wished clearly for his particular destination. It is said that a Mohammedan King from Delhi sent a deputation to invite the Bhattaraka to the King's Special Durbar at Delhi. The deputation took two months to reach the Bhattaraka from Delhi. The Bhattaraka refused the invitation. But when the time of the Durbar came the Bhattaraka, with all his retinue, sat on his huge Magic Carpet and reached the Imperial Capital in three or four days' time. The King was surprised. His Holiness was well received but for some reasons the King refused to allow a Royal Palanquin to him in the procession. But by a Miracle the Bhattaraka manages to make his Palanquin to go on the top of the King's own Palanquin and over the Palace itself, Repentant and surprised the King allows the flags representing Sun and Moon, and a Mace, and Chowry, Peacock brush etc., etc., to be carried before the Bhattaraka. The last Bhattaraka was Mahendra Kirtiji. He also dabbled in this white or black magic. It is said that once he had a vision of a Devi or Goddess who came to be his as a result of his incantations. But he became frightened and the Devi went away. I know nothing to vouch for these traditions but I know the Bhattaraka Mahendra Kirtiji. I met him once in 1900 and then in 1911-12, when he showed me his very fine collection of books which belonged to the Gadi of the Bhattaraka of this Temple. He was murdered in 1919 in that corner of the Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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