Temple of Satrunjaya

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

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FOREWORD
James Burgess who was at one time Director-General of the Archaeological Surveys in India in the latter half of the nineteenth century is the author of The Temples of Satrunjaya which deals with a wide range of monuments dedicated to the life and realisation of the Jaina Tirthankaras. This is a majestic volume produced as early as 1869 when he still did not assume the duties of conducting an organised archaeological survey in Western India preceding his afore-mentioned appointment as the Director-General. The publication carefully prepared in the nature of an elegant portfolio of photographs vividly describes and visualises the shrines crowning the summits of a mountain hallowed with the memory of Rsabhantha. As recorded by the tradition emanating from a remote antiquity the first Tirthankara, the son of Nabhi and Marudevi, visited the Mount for meditation. Thus Satrunjaya became a great tīrtha and was later on visited by a host of saintly followers of the tenets of the Nirgrantha. They yearned for the ultimate knowledge and thereby for the final bliss of the nirvana. Being rich in details the historical and descriptive Introduction of Burgess has a brilliance of its own. The entire volume helps in comprehension of a saga of architectonic form which defines the eternal glory of the Jinas as the omniscient. Standing in the perspective of a solitary landscape stretching below the canopy of heaven the sanctuaries of Satrunjaya are ever eloquent of devotion am faith. In view of the immense importance of this rare volume we have made a modest endeavour to publish it anew in a small