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Kolanupaka Temple
Kolanupaka Temple which is also known as Kulpakji`s Temple is a Jain Temple in Telangana. People from various parts of India come and visit this place.

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Kolanupaka Temple, Nalgonda District, TelanganaKolanupaka Temple is a Jain temple in Telangana. This Jain temple is located at the village of Kolanupaka. This temple houses three idols like Lord Rishabha, Lord Neminath, and Lord Mahavira.

Kolanupaka Temple in Nalgonda district of Telangana is carved from a green stone that has been historically famous as "Manikyaswami". This temple is located about 80 km from Hyderabad on the Hyderabad-Warangal Highway NH 163.

There are a number of Jain antiquities that have been discovered in Kulpak. In the ancient times, this area is denoted as the Jain pilgrimage centre. A grant mentioning a gift to a "Basadi" during the rule of Sanfkaragana in 9th century has been found at Akunur. Kolanupaka Temple is flourished as a Jain centre during the Rashtrakutas period.

Over 20 Jain inscriptions have been found at Kulpak and around the temple. The inscriptions suggest that the Kulpak was a major centre of Kranur Gana of Mula Sangh. A manastambha with an inscription of 1125 AD has been found. A 12th century inscription found in the temple of Kolanupaka mentioned that Meghachadra Siddhantadeva had entered in the region of "Sallekhana". The Jain activity has declined after 1276 AD. The Jain activity was re-established in 1711, when the temple of Manikyaswani was renovated and a boundary wall was erected.

One of the famous South Indian Philosophers in medieval South India mentioned that the Manikyasami image was originally worshipped by Mandodari, the wife of Ravana. It was brought here by the ruler Sankar of Kalyana.

According to another mythological legend, the main temple of Kolanupaka is said to have been build by Bharat Chakravarti. Jainism was prevalent in Andhra Pradesh before the 4th century, and Kolanupaka was one of the prominent centres of Jainism from early times. Kolanupaka temple was recently renovated by employing more than 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat. Lord Rishabha, popularly called Adinath Bhagvan, was the first Tirthankar in the Jain religion. It is believed that the original idol of Lord Adinath, known locally as Manikya Deva, has made Kolanupaka its abode. There are eight idols of the other Tirthankars on both the sides of the main temple. The statue of Lord Mahavira is 130 centimetres tall and is said to be made of a single piece of jade. The idols of Lord Simandar Swami and Mata Padmavati are installed on either side of the main temple of Kolanupaka. Kulpakji is an important pilgrimage centre for Svetambara Jains of South India.


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