Jaina Temples of Western India

Author(s): Harihar Singh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 57

40
Faina Temples of Western India
Sejakpur-It is an old village lying 14 miles southwest of Sayla Railway Station in the Surendra- nagar district of Gujarat. About the establishment of the village it is said that when the Guhil Rāja- pūtas were expelled from Kharagadha in Marwad by the Rathoras about 1240 A, D., they migrated to Saurashtra under the guidance of Sejaka, who was then their ruler and founded Sejakpur near the old village of Sahapura, 185
spires on the corridors and the flag-staffs hoisted on them it received the name of Bāvanadhvaja Jinālaya. 137 At present, however, only its photographic record is available. It is surprising that James Tod, who was an earlier visitor to this place, escaped this temple.158
In old days the Junagadh-Wadhwan trade-route passed from here, and the merchants, who frequented this place, might have raised a large sum for
large sum for erecting some beautiful temples there. There are at present three temples in the village. Two of these are Hindu and one belongs to the Jaina religion. The Hindu temples called Navalakhả temple and Siva temple stand facing each other, while the Jaina temple lies on the western out- skirts of the village, about 300 ft. to the south of the Navalakhã temple. The Guhils had nothing to do with these temples, for it will be too late a date for them. The Navalakha temple, for which the name of the village is justly famous, is a grand and highly ornate edifiče, while the Jaina temple, though small yet equally ornate, is a neglected one, so much so that during recent years the temple was wholly destroyed and its building material carried away by the villagers,
Maini-It is situated on the sea-coast, about 25 miles northwest of Porbandar in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. Miani is an old village, as here are found temples of the Gop class. The site is famous for Harsaţa Mātā whose shrine is located upon upon the hill on the other side of the creek from the village. According to the local tradition, this Mata, so long as she sat perched up aloft there, looking out to the sea, lured unfortunate mariners an to shipwreck on the shore beneath, 130 Once upon a time, however, a certain individual induced her, after terrible sacrifices on his part, to come down the hill and take up her abode below, where she could not look upon the sea and where a new temple was built for her.140 From the traditional account it appears that Miani was a sea port, and the export and import of goods from this port must have been a great source of income to the people in this part of the country. The rich condition of the locality is also demonstrated not only by the existence of many small temples of the Gop class but also by the large-sized temples of the Solanki period. Of the latter group there are two temples in the village, beside the one built to Harsata Mätä. One of these is dedicated to Nilakantha Mahadeva, and the other is a Jaina temple. now deserted and weather-worn.
Sarotra-It is a small village lying one and a half miles west of Sarotra Road Railway Station in the Banaskantha district of Gujarat. It is only six miles away from Candrāvati, the capital city of the Paramāras. Candrāvati was not only a political centre but also an economic centre, for the ancient Ahmedabad-Ajmer trade-route passed from here. This might have considerably raised the material prosperity of the city and its neighbourhood. This is clearly evident from the existence of a magnificent Jaina temple at Sarotra, the site lying very close to the trade-route.
References : 1. Cunningham, A., Ancient Geography of India,
Calcutta, 1924, pp. 13-14. Vide also Varāhamihira, Brhatsamhitā, Jha, A. (ed.), Varanasi,
1959, XVI. 31. 2. Law, B, C., India as Described in the Early
Texts of Buddhism and Jainism, London, 1941,
p. 18. 3. Ibid., p. 73. 4. Altekar, A. S., "History of Important Towns
and Cities in Gujarat and Kathiawar," Indian Antiquary, Suppt. LIII, 1924, p. 2.
Hiravijayasuri, the preceptor of Akbar, once spent his rainy season here and imparted religious injunctions to the Bhillas, who afterwards became the followers of Jaina faith.186 During his visit to this place Burgess explored here a ruined Jaina temple with 52 devakulikās. From the number of
Jain Education Interational