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March 3rd 2022 : The Mahayatra - Part 2


October 14th 2020 : In search of the real Pava




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The complete facts of the Antriksh Parshwanath Dispute

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More than 350 years ago, a Jain monk, Shri Yashovijayji Maharaja composed a beautiful stavan (devotional hymn) dedicated to Shri Antriksh Parshwanath, which included the following lines -  कोड़ी देव मिलके न कर सके , एक अँगूठ रूप प्रतिचंद,  ऐसो अद्भुत रूप तिहारो , बरसत मानु अमृत के बून्द ,  जय ! जय ! जय ! जय ! पास जिणंद ,  अंतरिक्ष प्रभु ! त्रिभुवन तारण, भविक कमल उल्लास दिणंद !  Translated, it would mean -  “Even if the aura of a billon celestial beings be combined together, they would not be able to match even an ounce of your beauty!, Witnessing your divine beauty feels as if drops of nectar were falling from the heavens! O Lord Antriksh Parshwanath! Glory be to thee!”  After reading the above lines, one may wonder how beautiful was the idol of Antrikshji Parshwanath, which led Shri Yashovijayji to pen such a beautiful hymn. The divine idol which is said to be so miraculous that it floats mid-air is, however the centrepiece of a lethal dispute between t
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How Shikharji was taken away from Jains

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The Nirvan Bhumi (salvation land) of 20 Jain Tirthankars , Sammet Shikharji (“ Shikharji ”) is one of the most important pilgrimages of Jains since the ancient era. This paramount pilgrimage was known by various names like Sammeyal Giri, Samet Shail, Sametachal, Samet Giri, Samet Shikhar, Samadhi Giri etc . At present, it is known as Sammet Shikharji by Shwetambars and as Sammed Shikharji by Digambars or Parshwanath Hill. The holy hill is one of the highest peaks of India and is situated in the Giridih district of Jharkhand, India. However, years of disregard, various internal disputes and forceful acquisition by the State Government has marred the tirth into a lot of controversies.  Parasnath Tunk, the place where Lord Parshwanath attained Moksha As the #SaveShikharji movement gains momentum, lakhs of petitions have been signed by all Jains to prevent the Jharkhand Government to turn the pious Shikharji hill into a tourism destination. However, the question arises h
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Which is the real birthplace of Lord Mahavir?

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BACKGROUND Religions across the world have always revered the birthplaces of their divine figures with great respect. These places were soon transformed into pilgrimages, in view of the holy aura preserved in the respective birthplaces. Similarly, Jains have also revered the places where the five divine events, i.e. the Panchkalyanaks of Tirthankars (Chyavan, Janma, Diksha, Kevalgyan and Nirvan) had taken place. The last Tirthankar of this cosmic cycle, Shri Vardhaman Mahavir , on whose teachings Jainism has survived, flourished and thrived till date, was born in 599 BC , i.e. nearly 2,618 years ago. Being the last Tirthankar, it would be obvious to assume that all the original locations of Lord Mahavir’s Panchkalyanaks would have been well preserved by Jains; However, the case is not so. Although, it might be surprising, the locations of all the five Kalyanaks of Lord Mahavir are disputed – either between the Shwetambar-Digambar sects or by history scholars. The only Kal
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The Disputed Devotion : Kesariyaji Tirth

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As the electric rickshaw meandered its way through the narrow by-lanes of the Rishabhdev town (Dhulev) my mind wandered off to my childhood when my grandmother was trying to make me learn the lines of the Aarti dedicated to Lord Adinath: " Dusari Aarti Din Dayala, Dhuleva mandap ma jag ajwada " Not understanding the significance then, these lines from the beautiful composition by Shri Mulchand were making me feel so ecstatic at that moment! Finally, I was on my way to the abode of lord Kesariyaji Adinath which was equated to the "Light of the world" by the poet Mulchand! How beautiful the lord must be! How divine the idol must be that the poet weaved these beautiful words with pearls of his devotion! " Teesari aarti tribhuvan deva, Sur-Nar-Indra kare tori seva !" A sudden jolt of a street bumper brought me back to the by-lanes of the dusty town dotted with jewellery shops each of whose names bear its reverence to the lord of the town –
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Rujuvalika - Where Lord Mahavir placed his last footsteps

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What if I tell you that Lord Mahavir’s placed his last footsteps in Rujuvalika and not in Pavapuri? You would definitely disagree. Therefore, before you correct me, read on… I vividly recall that during my first ever visit to Rujuvalika, the Kevalgyan Kalyanak bhumi of Lord Mahavir, I was deeply excited for some inexplicable reasons. Further, when I heard about the beauty of the Rujuvalika river, my curiosity levels knew no bounds. Wasting no time, I headed off to this magnificent land to follow the footsteps of Lord Mahavir and to feel the deepest vibrations of Lord’s footsteps that Rujuvalika beholds. The way towards the Jinalay During the entire course of journey towards the tirth , I kept on wondering how beautiful the river would be! Would its shores be sandy or lined with boulders? Would I be able to see the Sal tree under which the Lord attained Kevalgyan ? Seeking answers to such innumerable questions in mind, I reached the town of Giridih (in Jharkhand) an ho
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