Home > Society > Religion in India > Mahudi Jain Teerth
Mahudi Jain Teerth
Mahudi Jain Teerth is a Jain pilgrimage centre in Gujarat that houses the idol of Lord Padmaprabha. The idol had been unearthed from underneath the earth.

Share this Article:

Mahudi Jain Teerth, GujaratMahudi Jain Teerth is a Jain pilgrimage centre in Gujarat. Mahudi is a small village located near the Sabarmati River. Earlier the place was known as Madhupuri. The principal idol of the temple is Lord Padmaprabha.

History of Mahudi Jain Teerth
According to the history of Mahudi Jain Teerth the idols and artistic remains have been discovered from underneath the earth. This suggests that the place is nearly 2000 years old. Many inscriptions have been found in the Brahmi script. In the year 1974 a beautiful idol of Lord Padmaprabha, was reinstalled in the newly built temple by Acharya Shrimad Buddhisagarji M.S. Gurudev of the Vikram Samvat Era. In the year 1980 an ancient idol of Ghantakarna Mahavira was formally installed in the temple by the same Acharya.

Temple of Mahudi Jain Teerth
The temple of Mahudi houses the idol of Ghantakarna Mahavira. It is said to have miraculous power. Lord Ghantakarna Mahavira was a Kshatriya king. His name was Mahabal. He always had bow and arrows and undertook the responsibility of protecting the honour of women and unmarried girls from robbers. He also protected the religion of the people. He liked the sounds of bell and also had Bell shaped ears. He was thus called as `Ghant (Bell) Karna (Ears).` He was also fond of Sukhadi in his earlier birth. Thus Sukhadi is offered to him in the temple. The prasad is also offered to the devotees and it is consumed within the temple premises. Ghantakarna Mahavirdev always helps those who have faith in him.

Devotees from far off places visit and offer their worship to Lord Ghantakarna Mahavira. It is believed that the Lord fulfils the wishes of the devotees. On the fourteenth day of the dark half of the month of Aso, every year, the ceremony of charitable offering is celebrated in the Jain way in the temple of Ghankakarna Mahavir.

It is said that many years back Shrimad Buddhisagarji Maharaj Saheb has seen a tortoise passing in this barren land. Considered it as a good sign he took the decision of building Mahudi teerth here. When Jains began visiting the place he felt that a temple needs to be built here. He began practicing hard meditation for 3 days and with his vital powers he assessed Shri Ghantakarna Mahavir Dev `pratyaksha` through `havan` fire. He immediately drew his image. Later an idol was made from a river side rock. BuddhiSagar Maharaj Sahebji made the idol lively by putting "Pran" (Lively Power) into it.

Apart from this, there are many other temples located here. The other idol of the temple Bhagawan Padmaprabha is 53 cms in height and is white in colour. The idol is seated in the Padmasana posture. The Gurumandir with the idol of Acharya Shrimad Buddhisagarji is situated here. A similar idol was first placed at Vijapur Jain Temple where he was cremated.

Many artistic idols or ancient remains are seen there. The artistic and sculptural models in the Kotyark temple, give an idea of the antiquity of this place. The 130 cms high idol of Lord Shantinath in the Padmasama posture is made of five mental and it has radium eyes. It is very miraculous and wonderful. It is also called an idol of Keshariyaji. In the temple on the hill, there is a 106 cms high, white-coloured, delightful idol of Lord Ajitnath in the Kayotsarga posture. At such lonely places Buddhisagarsuyrishvarji worshipped God.

The nearest railway station of Vijapur is 10 kilometres away. There are very good facilities of bus service and private vehicles for going to this sacred place on the Kalol Vijapur road near Ahmedabad. There are good board and lodging provisions.


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Religion in India


Religion in Indus Valley Civilization
Religion in Indus Valley Civilisation included Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Details about the religion in Indus Valley Civilization have been gathered from archaeological artefacts.
Shaivism Religion
Shaivism is the second largest “religious community” in modern India with its roots deeply seated in the Hindu Vedic belief.
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is among the more popular denominations of Hinduism, with its own distinctive ideas about spirituality and morality. Vaishnavism concentrates on worshipping god Vishnu and of his incarnations.
Hinduism Religion
Hinduism is more of a philosophy which is a way of living according to the understanding of the principles of Vedas and Upanishads.
Islam
Islam is a religion that beliefs in Allah as the one and only God and creator of the Universe. Islamic law or Sharia is characterised by the five pillars of Islam which comprise the essential duties of every Muslim.
Christianity
Christianity is a religion based on the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and it is the largest religion in the world.
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and a philosophy that encompasses a wide variety of beliefs, practices and traditions that are chiefly based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha and its later disciples.
Jainism
Jainism chronologically preceded the religion of Buddhism. It is considered as one of the oldest religions of India. Jainism in India shared with Hinduism and Buddhism. It is an integral part of South Asian religious belief and practice, but it is not a Hindu sect and not a Buddhist heresy, as earlier scholars believed.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism, closely related to Judaism, Christianity and Islam was founded by Zoroaster.
Sikhism
Sikhism is a religion started by Guru Nanak in land of Punjab in 15th century A.D.