Hutheesing Jain Temple – I advised my cab driver on a nice Sunday morning. He requested me the place it’s and I questioned about his primary information of the town. I checked the tackle on Google and mentioned Madhupura. He laughed and mentioned – Oh Hatheesing ni Wadi, say it like that na. A classical instance of the native vs customer to the town.
Anyway, we reached and parked the automobile in a neat and clear parking subsequent to a Jain Museum. On one facet was a dharamshala the place Jains can use to remain when visiting the town. You clearly get the Satvik Jain meals whenever you keep right here at an affordable price.
On the suitable I might see a tall Stambha or pillar standing alone with an uncanny resemblance to the Vijay and Kirti Stambha at Chittorgarh Fort.
As I turned across the temple stood their majestically.
Historical past of Hutheesing Jain Temple
Because the identify itself tells, the temple belongs to the Jain household of Hutheesing Kesarising, who was a businessman who lived in mid-19th CE. Although he began constructing this temple, he died younger on the age of 49. The development of the temple was then accomplished by his younger spouse Harkunwar Sethani.
A legend tells that the employees who had been sculpting the stone had been doing a not so nice work. When the Sethani Harkunwar came upon, she spoke to the employees. They inform her that they had been paid by the scale of stone sculpted and nice work takes time. She advised them to do the nice sculpting and convey to her the stone chipped off and they might be paid in equal gold.
Is that this not an ideal case research of incentivizing excellence?
One other legend says that the temple was constructed on the time of a extreme famine and draught. It supplied employment to many craftsmen for a interval of two years.
It’s mentioned that in these days the temple costed about Rs 12 Lakhs. Â The Consecration of the temple by the hands of Sh Shantisagar Suri ji was attended by a couple of lakh individuals who got here from villages close to and much. Preparations for his or her keep had been made behind the temple that’s nonetheless referred to as Hatheepara.
Structure of Huteesing Jain Temple
The temple follows a curious mixture of Maru-Gurjara model of structure that’s prevalent on this a part of the nation however with a splash of Haveli model. Premchand Salat was the architect of this temple.
At first look, it jogged my memory of the Ranakpur Jain Temple close to Udaipur.
You enter the temple by means of a porch that’s jetting out such as you see in colonial bungalows. Nonetheless, the sculpted pillars, arches or torans and the jharokhas on the primary ground will port you to Rajasthan immediately. You enter by means of a doorway that has a typical Jain temple doorjamb – finely sculpted.
Inside you see a temple in the course of a courtyard, surrounded by a prakara wall with a pillared courtyard operating all alongside it. There are 52 smaller temples known as Dev Kulika. Every of them has Murtis of three or extra Tirthankaras, 20 of whom belong to previous and future Tirthankaras. As you stroll you may see them by means of numerous arched openings. Every of them temples have the small Shikharas on high.
Essential Temple
The primary temple, known as Hutheesing Nu Derasar, stands on a platform in the course of the courtyard. Of the three storeys of the temple, you enter the center one by means of a flight of stairs. You first land within the Puja Mandapa after which transfer towrds Rang Mandapa. From right here you see the garbhagriha with three doorways. Inside there are stone and metallic murtis of various Tirthankaras. The primary Murti is that of 15th Tirthankar Shri Dharamnath Bhagwan, the Mool Nayak of this temple.
From one nook of temple, one other flight of steep steps take you to the primary ground. There may be one other garbhagriha right here with murtis of many Jain Tirthankaras. You’ll be able to see the view of the temple from right here as you stroll alongside the dome of the mandapas beneath.
There may be an underground degree too the place Jain Murtis are put in. You’ll be able to enter it from one facet and are available out from one other.
The partitions are filled with Jali or latticed home windows. Every window has a unique design, largely geometrical, however some floral as nicely. It jogged my memory of Jali patterns of Paigah Tombs in Hyderabad and the home windows of Hoysala temples of Karnataka.
There are Madanika figures on the outside partitions in addition to the ceiling of the shikhara contained in the temple. You’ll be able to see them taking part in totally different musical devices or in dancing poses. They create an setting of Utsava or celebration.
Different Options
General, the temple incorporates 450 Jinalayas within the temple advanced. There’s a Pratima of Osian Devi, the kuldevi of Oswals too on the temple. Keep in mind, Sethani Harkunwar got here from Oswal group.
Within the nook as you progress in direction of the door to exit, you see an enormous underground nicely that’s lined with a copper lid. That is the inbuilt rainwater harvesting system. You’ll be able to see this throughout the Pol space of Ahmedabad.
You get view of the temple structure as you’re taking a parikrama or circumambulation across the temple.
Manstambh
The tall Stambh in entrance of the temple is the Manstambh. It was constructed to commemorate the 2500th start anniversary of Mahavir ji in 2003. A Pratima of Mahavir ji is enshrined right here.
As you go across the temple, you admire the carving on exterior wall. On the again is a park that has a labyrinth made in it. It was closed after I visited however my pal advised me that of their childhood they used to play right here.
Museum
The stunning museum is situated near the automobile parking. Proper exterior you may see the artifacts depicting Jain cosmology. There’s a small entry ticket and a barely bigger digicam ticket.
Shows on the two ranges of the museum take you thru the varied tales of the Jain Dharma. It tells tales of the Tirthankaras and of Acharyas inclusing those who gave us the primary written texts.
Strolling by means of the museum is like educating your self on Jainsim. High ground of this constructing homes a library.
Paryushan and Mahavir Jayanti are the important thing festivals celebrated within the temple. Diwali, which is the day of Nirvana of Bhagwan Mahavir can also be celebrated.
The temple is managed by Shri Hutheesing Kesarising Belief.
Journey Ideas for Hutheesing Jain Temple
Huteesing Jain Temple is within the previous metropolis of Ahmedabas near Delhi Darwaza.
Temple is open from 8 AM to five PM.
Images is allowed exterior however not inside.
Temple is free however museum has a nominal charge.
It’s crowded on weekends when many households come for rituals, however is normally quiet and peaceable on most different days.
In case you are spending a day within the previous metropolis of Ahmedabad, you may simply spend an hour or so at Huthessing Jain temple and museum.