Tijara Jain Temple
Tijara Jain Temple, also called Shri 1008 Chandra Prabhu Digambar Jain Atishaya Kshetra, is a famous Jain temple dedicated to the 8th Tirthankar Chandraprabha, located in the hill town Tijara in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. It is an atishaya kshetra, i.e. a place of salvation.
In ancient times the site was a dehra, i.e. a place where Jain idols were worshipped, and became an important center of Jainism in that region. After destruction of the temple buildings by invaders during the medieval period, the dehra descended. But some of the idols were buried and survived.
On august 16, 1956 an idol of Bhagwan Chandra Prabhu, made of white stone, was discovered after excavation. According to the local legends, the idol was found after a citizen of Tijara, Mrs. Saraswati Devi, wife of Vaidya Shri Bihari Lal, saw in a dream the place where the idol may be found. Still in the same year the building of a temple was established.
After the setting up of the Jain temple, the place has once again regained its former importance as an pilgrim center. On March 29, 1972 another idol of Bhagwan Chandra Prabhu, made of black stone, was discovered after digging south of the temple under the guidance of Poojya Acharya Nirmal Sagarji Maharaj.
The image of Bhagwan Chandraprabhu, the principal deity of Atishaya Kshetra Tijara, is believed to be miraculous. Legend has it that after darshan or worshipping the image, some pilgrims were relieved of supernatural visitations. According the inscription on this idol, this was installed on the 3rd day of Vishakha Shukla V.S. 1554.
The temple building is rectangular in shape and is adorned with marvelous pillars and arches. In the courtyard a manasthamba (stone pillar) is erected opposite to the shikhara over the sanctum sanctorum. The elaborately decorated temple hall can accommodate about 200 people at a time. The interiors of the temple are decorated with paintings, glass work and carvings depicting scenes of Jaina mythology.
