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Showing posts from February, 2016

Kavi, moksh ni chaavi ~ A photo journey

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Known as the " key to heaven ", Kavi is located on Gujarat's southern coastline near the town of Jambusar. Earlier known as Kankavati , this town served as a trading hub for many Jain merchants. Two temples, dedicated to Lord Adinath & Lord Dharmanath are deeply revered by the Jains and non Jains of the temple town. Today, let us visit this beautiful tirth through a series of Black and White photographs. The Jinalay of Shri Adinath Bhagwan, known as the " Sarvajit Praasaad ", was renovated under the guidance of Acharya Shri Vijaysensurisvar ji by Shri Ladhik Gandhi and his wife in Vikram Samvat 1645. Mulnayak Shri Adinath Bhagwan ~ Sarvajeet Praasaad Sarvajeet Praasaad ~ The temple built by the mother in law The beautiful idol of Lord Adinath As per a legend when Ladhik's son's wife struck her head against the door frame of the temple, she cursed her mother in law of not designing the temple properly. On hearing this, her mothe

Blind Faith

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“Faith is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes can see is darkness” I have always been a complaining person, unsatisfied with whatever I get. I have always wondered how people feel satisfied with whatever they have; how they never complain even in their darkest moments; how their unwavering faith answers all their problems!  I have not yet made myself capable enough to answer these questions, but I have been blessed to meet one such person in my life who has taught me the real meaning of devotion ; who has shown me how even a tiny thread of faith can give so much hope! From the day I have seen her, I have understood that a mere trust on the divine gives the conviction to move mountains .  Everyday at around 7 in the morning, she can be seen alone near the Jain temple on Canning Street holding a tattered cloth bag in one hand while the other hand guides her the way forward. She walks very slowly balancing her way on the uneven roads and doesn’t even carry a

Gandhar Tirth- Shri Amizara Parshwanath

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Close to the Gulf of Khambhat where the river Vishvamitri meets the Arabian Ocean, lies the tranquil town of Gandhar.  Once a busy port, the town has now turned into a quaint sea village dotted by small houses and a Jain temple dedicated to Shri Amizara Parshwanath Bhagwan. Mulnayak Shri Amizara Parshwanath Bhagwan The antiquity of this land can be established from the inscriptions excavated from here. The idol of Lord Parshwanath was installed by Acharya Vijay Sensuri, a disciple of Akbar Pratibodhak Acharya Shri Hirvijaysurishwarji Maharaja in Vikram Samvat 1664. The deity is fondly known as Amizara Parshwanath because holy liquid (“Ami”) exuded from the idol years ago. Gandhar Jain Tirth The beautiful idol of Lord Amizara Parshwanath The port of Gandhar witnessed several invasions by the pirates from Khambhat in the beginning of the 18th century. It is said that earlier Jains had a vast population in this area and along with the jinalay of Shri Amizara Pa