Eastern U.P’s biggest Jain temple to come up in Prayagraj
The temple located in Bai Ka Bagh is considered to be very important by the devotees of the Jain community.
PRAYAGRAJ A three-storey temple of Shwetambar Jains, proposed to be the biggest in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, will be built in Prayagraj. The Jain community has already started preparation for its construction. The temple will be the centre of attraction for Jain devotees coming to Prayagraj from all over the country and abroad.
The Sangam city already has a 55-year-old Shri Rishabh Dev Shwetambar Jain Temple with centuries old idol of Lord Rishabhdev, also known as Lord Adinath (“Lord of the Beginning”), who is the first Jain Tirthankar of present time cycle, in Bai Ka Bagh area of the city.
As per the mega renovation project, the new temple structure would be constructed at this very site encompassing the large ground located in front of the existing temple structure, said Munna Lal Tiwari, who is the second-generation priest from his family at this temple.
The idols of the Gods and Goddesses will be installed in all the four directions in the upper floors -- the main idol of the first Tirthankar with smaller idols of other Tirthankars (there are 24 Tirthankars in all) is to be placed on the ground floor. The artisans of Odisha and Rajasthan have been given the responsibility for the construction of the temple. The foundation work of the same will start in April and the official foundation stone is to be laid in May, said the priest. He added that this will be the largest temple of Jains in Eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The temple located in Bai Ka Bagh is considered to be very important by the devotees of the Jain community. “We are trying to start the construction work from May 2023 and get it completed at the earliest. It may take three-to-four years to be fully completed. The temple would be built on a land of around 4,000 square yards. A two-storey Dharamshala will also be built in the campus,” said Chandrakant Savla, one of the prominent members of the community from the city.
According to the stone inscription, the first Tirthankar Lord Rishabhdev arrived here hundreds of years ago. Back then, Prayagraj was called Purimtaal. It was on this land that Lord Rishabhdev attained ‘Kevalgyan’ (enlightenment or omniscience roughly translated as complete understanding or supreme wisdom) and it was here that Mata Marudevi, mother of the first Jain Tirthankar. He also attained enlightenment and Moksha here.
“The new temple will be constructed in Madhubani style with exquisite carvings. Along with this, there will be artifacts from the entrance to the main building of the temple. In the three-storey building, on every floor, the artwork of cows, goats and elephants will be carved. This will be the center of attraction for visitors,” said the priest.
