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THE JAINA GAZETTE
acquiring a correct knowledge of Islam and its teachings. No student of Comparative Religion should be without a copy of this valuable book which contains the precious gems of the Islamic teachings.
4. Lord Mahavira. A short sketch of the life of the Lord by Harisatya Bhattacharyya, M.A., B.L., Howrah, Published by the Jain Mitra Mandal, Delhi. Price 3 annas.
This booklet of 40 pages gives an interesting account of the life of Lord Mahavira, the 24 Tirthankara of the Jainas. It gives an account of the Lord's previous births, His five Kaiyanas, the temptations to which He was put, His Penance. His warderings and His Nirvana. The language is simple and beautiful. Every Jain student should have a copy. The world will be greatly benefitted if it comes to know about the Tirthankara, the World Teacher and Saviour. So it will be a great service to Humanity if well-to-do Jains arrange to distribute free among the Non-Jains thousands of copies of booklets like this.
NOTES AND NEWS.
AN EXTINCT CITY. The visit of the Jain caravan led by Sheth Nagindas Karamchand of Patan to the ancient shrine of Bhadreshwar in Cuto brought to light certain data calculated to appeal to the antiquaries and epigraphists of India, writes a correspondent It appears that to the eastern coast line in Cutch there once was a flourishing city called Bhadravati, of which the present sanctuary is one of the most interesting relics A palm leat discovered from the back wall of the temple showed that the founder of the mandir was one Sheth Devachand who lived in Cutch some 2.500 years ago. More or less indistinct inscriptions in the Rang Mandap of the temple convinced the antiquaries that the shrine was repaired in the Samvat years 1134, 1223 and 1232. Kumarpal rehabilitated the sanctuary, so that in the Samvat year 1315 Jhaghdu Shah led a caravan like the present Sangh, and financed the much-needed repairs and renewals. The last notable renovation was accomplished in the Samvat year 1622, when the original idol of Shree Parashwanath having been removed by some one was replaced by the idol of Shree Mahavir, the Founder of Jainism It was not until twenty-three years after Shree Mahavira's time that the Bhadreshwar temple acquired its sacramental position in Cutch. The sanctuary presents a majestic appearance, with its length of 150 feet, width ot 80 feet, height of 38 feet, and surrounding little temples numbering 52. There is a number of Dharmashalas in the neighbourhood and an Upashraya to the left of the main temple. -(Times of India, 4th March 1927.)
Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
