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Parshwanath Jain Temple at Shankheshwar
Shankheshwar Parshwanath Jain Temple is a majestic and vast temple of Mulnayak Shri Shankeshvar Parshvanath Bhagavan in the heart of the Shankheshvara town.
The idol is of white complexion and about 1.82 metres in height; it is in Padmasana posture, it is miraculous. In the days of old, a Shravaka, Ashadhi by name, had got installed Jina idols in Charoopa, Stambhapura and Shankheshvara, so say the references in Jaina works. According to one story, in the battle between Jarasandha and Shri Krishna, when the former threw Jara on the army of the latter, the calamity was quietened by spraying the bathing water of the idol of Shri Prabhu on the army.
The history of Shri Parshvanatha is therefore very old and highly impressive. We also get several stories of the miracles associated with this idol. In the central part of the vast fort, a lovely temple with peaks is found with its 52 Jinalayas. The Minister-in-Chief of King Siddharaj Jaisinha, Sajjanshah got this tirtha repaired and renovated in V.S. 1155 (1098 CE). Round about V.S. 1286 (1229 CE), Vastupal-Tejpal installed gold-pinnacles on the Shrines of the 52 Jinalayas and carried out the necessary repairs.
In the 14th century when the soldiers of Allauddin broke this tirtha, the Shri Sangha kept the idol of Shri Shankheshvara Prabhu well protected. In V.S. 1656 (1599 CE) emperor Shahjahan issued an ordinance regarding the town, in the name of Sheriff Shantidasa. Thereafter in V.S. 1628 (1571 CE) and 1760 (1703 CE) renovations took place again. Remnants of the old temple are seen to-day on way to the temple. The new temple was built in the 17th century. Even to-day its impressiveness as the destroyer of the threefold miseries is well-known.
Parshwanath Jain Temple Shankheshwar Parshvanatha Shri Jivandas Godidas Pedhi
Shri Shankheswar Parswanath Jain Derasar Trust,
Via Harij, P.O. Shankheswar - 384246, District Patan,
Gujarat, India02723 273514, 273324, 273331