Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
Śvētāmbara Jain Temple Bhelupur, Varanasi
Religion
Affiliation	Jainism
Sect	Digambar, Śvētāmbara
Deity	Parshvanath
Festival	Mahavir Jayanti
Location
Location	Bhelupur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Interactive map of Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi
Coordinates	25°17′58.3″N 82°59′59.8″E / 25.299528°N 82.999944°E / 25.299528; 82.999944
Architecture
Temple	3

Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi is a group of three Jain temples located in Bhelupur, Uttar Pradesh. Bhelupur is traditionally identified by Jains as the place associated with three kalyanakas of Parshvanatha—conception, birth and renunciation.^[1][2]

History

According to Jain literature, Varanasi was ruled by King Aśvasena, the father of Parshvanatha, in 9th century.^[3][4] Varanasi is as one of the holiest Jain pilgrimage centres and believed to be birthplace of four Tirthankar — Parshvanatha, Suparshvanatha, Chandraprabha and Shreyansanath. This is considered as one of the holiest pilgrimage places.^[5][6] Bhelpur is believed to be birthplace of Parshvanath, the 23rd Thirthankara,^[7] hence, a place for three kalyanak - Chyavan, Janma, and Deeksha.^[8][1][9] The Jain association of Bhelupur is also supported by archaeological remains from the area. Heritage studies of Varanasi record the discovery of Jain images at Bhelupur dating principally from the 9th to 11th centuries CE. These sculptures provide archaeological evidence for a medieval Jain presence at Bhelupur, independent of the traditional association of the site with the life of Parshvanatha.^[10] Mahavira also delivered sermons at Varanasi and Sarnath.^[11]

Vividha Tirtha Kalpa, composed by Jinaprabha Suri in the 14th century CE, gives a detailed description of this temple. The reference in the Vividha Tirtha Kalpa demonstrates that Varanasi was established within Jain pilgrimage literature by the 14th century.^[12]

Archaeological remains

Archaeological discoveries at Bhelupur provide important evidence for the history of Jainism at the site. A number of Jain sculptures recovered from the area have been assigned principally to the 9th–11th centuries CE. The surviving medieval sculptures predate the present temple structures and indicate that Bhelupur had already developed as a Jain religious centre during the early medieval period.^[10] Among the sculptures associated with the site is the black stone image of Parshvanatha now worshipped in the Digambara temple. The image measures approximately 75 centimetres (30 in) in height and has been assigned to the 9th–11th centuries CE.^[13]

Description

The temple has a 75 centimetres (2.46 ft) black-coloured digambar idol of Parshvanatha dating back to 9th-11th century and a 60 centimetres (2.0 ft) white Śvetāmbara idol of Parshvanatha.^[6][1] The presence of separate Digambara and Śvētāmbara shrines reflects the importance of Bhelupur as a pilgrimage centre for both major Jain traditions.^[10] It is in Bhelupur about 5 km from the center of Varanasi city and 3 km from the Banaras Hindu University. It belongs to both sects of Jainism and is a tirtha or pilgrimage centre for Jains.^[13]

The pilgrimage complex includes the Parshvanatha Digambara temple, the Śvētāmbara temple and a Parshvanatha–Padmavati temple. Sacred footprints associated by tradition with Parshvanatha are also preserved at Bhelupur.^[2]

Religious significance

Bhelupur forms part of the wider Jain sacred geography of Varanasi. Jain tradition associates the city and its surroundings with four Tirthankaras: Parshvanatha at Bhelupur, Suparshvanatha at Bhadaini, Chandraprabha at Chandrawati and Shreyansanatha in the Sarnath–Singhpuri area.^[10] For Parshvanatha, Bhelupur is particularly associated with conception, birth and renunciation.^[2] His attainment of kevala jnana, however, is associated in Jain tradition with Ahichchhatra, rather than Bhelupur.

Gallery

• 
  Parshvanath Digambar idol
• 
  Parshvanath Digambar temple
• 
  Parshvanath-Padmavati temple
• 
  Main vedi inside Parshvanath-Padmavati temple

See also

• Chandrawati Jain temple
• Sarnath Jain Tirth
• Hastinapur

References

Bibliography

External links

• Media related to Parshvanath Jain temples, Varanasi at Wikimedia Commons