• 21 Aug, 2019

• By, Wikipedia

Calcutta Jain Temple

Calcutta Jain Temple (also known as Parshwanath Temple) is a Śvetāmbara Jain temple at Badridas Temple Street, Gouribari in Maniktala and a major tourist attraction of Kolkata (Calcutta), India. The temple was built by a Jain named Rai Badridas Bahadoor Mookim in 1867. Consecration was done by Acharya Kalyansuri Maharaja.

History

The Parasnath or Parshwanath Jain Temple of Kolkata was built by Ray Badridas Bahadur in 1867. Thousands of people visit this temple annually. The Parasnath Jain Temple is actually a complex of 4 temples. The main shrine is dedicated to Shitalanatha, tenth tirthankara. The pratishtha was performed by Sri Kalyansurishwarji Maharaj. The four main temples are Shitalanatha temple, Chandraprabha temple, Mahavira temple and Dadawadi and Kushalji Maharaja temple, where footprints of Jain monks Acharya Jinaduttsuri and Acharya Jinkushalsuri are installed. Towards the south of the temple of Shitalanatha, lies the shrine of Chandaprabha, which was built by Ganeshlal Kapoorchand Jahar in the year 1895.

Main Jain temple is where the Paryushana, an 8-day festival, is celebrated in Bhadrav month. During this period the Jains observe Ahimsa, listen to recitations of scriptures of worship and perform charitable deeds. The last day of festival is called Samvatsari. It is one of the most important Jain temples in Kolkata. The deities are often decorated with semi-precious stones and precious metals as per devotional rituals of the Śvetāmbaras.

About temple

The complex is subdivided into 4 temples:

• Shitalanatha temple
• Parshvanatha temple
• Chandraprabha temple
• Mahavira temple
• Dadawadi

The temple is dedicated to Parshwanath, who was the 23rd Jain Tirthankara. This is one of the most important Jain temples in Kolkata. The place is famous all over that is why devout Jains from distant parts of India flock to the Temple precincts all round the year. The temple consists of four temples inside of it. The deity of Lord Shitalanath is seated in the sanctum sanctorum and his diamond-studded forehead is a major attraction for the visitors.

There are three other shrines dedicated to Chanda Prabhujidev, Dadagarudev Shri Jin Kushal Suriji Maharaj. The last temple is dedicated to Lord Mahaveera, who was the last Tirthankara of the Jain tradition.

Architecture

Parshwanatha Jain Temple, Kolkata has displays of exquisite designs and it is an impressive structure consisting of mirror-inlaid pillars and windows that are made of stained glass. The temple is surrounded by three beautiful verandas.

The walls of the temple features mosaics and other ornamental work. The main shrine is divided into three sections. The inner-most section enshrines idols of Tirthankaras. The marble images wear gold necklace, silver lotus pedestals, and a big diamond-inlaid forehead. The outer section is richly decorated with ornate mosaic glasswork on the walls, ceiling, and columns. This section also features a chandelier with over a hundred branches. Outside the temple is a garden with Indian and exotic plants. The garden is full of sculptures and fountains in the middle. It is considered a testimony of architecture and artistry.

The interiors of the temple are splendidly adorned, along with the outdoors, which are surrounded with many beautifully-colored flower gardens and fountains. There is a small stream flowing through it, which also has a great variety of flowers all around it. The fountains look brilliant when water gushes out of them in perfect harmonization. A well-maintained reservoir adds up to the surrounding beauty. Colourful fishes swarm the surface of the glistening water at the slightest hint of food grains. The floor of the temple is elaborately paved with marble that gives it a solemn look and also a mark of purity. The temple exhibits extraordinary artistic tendencies that are visible in the whole pattern of the decoration of the interiors and the exteriors. It also displays paintings of renowned painter Ganesh Muskare. Chandeliers or Jhar Battis are another feature that make the interiors sparkle and lends the extra shimmer to the serenity of the temple.

The interiors of the temple are lavishly decorated with high quality mirrors and glasses. The quintessential Jain temple chandeliers (Jhar Battis) decorate the ceilings adding beauty to the top. The floor is intricately paved with marble and embellished with exquisite floral designs that provide a classy look to this colossal architecture. In the interior, the temple walls are adorned by paintings of the renowned painter Ganesh Muskare. The Temple gateway is splendidly eye-catching.

There is a lamp, which burns with ghee inside the sanctum sanctorum, which has been continuously burning ever since the initiation of the temple since 1867. The lamp bears silent testimony to the contemporary world since ages; it is wonderful to acknowledge the mysticism associated with it. The temple celebrates Paryushan in Bhadrav month (between 16 August and 15 September). Jains believe in Ahimsa or peace and are committed to charitable deeds.

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  Chandraprabhu Temple
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  Glass Temple Pareshnath Jain Temple
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  Mosaic on temple wall
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  Stamp issued in 1935

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calcutta Jain Temple.

• Jainism in Bengal

• Dutta, Krishna (2013) [2003]. Calcutta: A Cultural and Literary History. Vol. 12. Canada: Signal Books. ISBN 9781902669595.
• Kumar, Brajesh (2003). Pilgrimage Centres of India. Diamond Pocket Books. ISBN 9788171821853.
• Titze, Kurt; Bruhn, Klaus (1998). Jainism: A Pictorial Guide to the Religion of Non-Violence (2 ed.). Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1534-6.
• Firminger, Walter Kelly (1906). Thacker's Guide to Calcutta. Vol. 12. Kolkata: Thacker's Indian Directory. ISBN 9781902669595.