>Yuyutsu Ho at 07:03, 7 June 2021

2021-06-07T07:03:12Z

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{{Infobox religious building
| name = Jal Mandir
| native_name =
| religious_affiliation = [[Jainism]] (shvetambar)
| image = Pawapuri - 001 Temple marking Mahavira's Passing (9243092471).jpg
| image_size = 270
| caption = Jal Mandir in Pawapuri
| map_type = India Bihar
| map_size = 250
| map_caption = Location within Bihar
| coordinates = {{coord|25|05|28|N|85|32|19|E|region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[Pawapuri]], [[Nalanda]], Bihar, [[India]]
| deity = Foot prints of [[Mahavira]]
| festivals = [[Diwali (Jainism)|Dipawali]]
| temple_quantity = 1
| established = 528 BC
| creator = King Nandivardhan
}}

The '''Jal Mandir''' or Water Temple is situated in{{Sfn|Prasad|1995|p=31}} [[Pawapuri]] (also known as '''Apapapuri''' which means a town without sins),{{Sfn|Choudhury|1956|p=89}} in the Indian state of [[Bihar]]. It is a major pilgrimage destination of Jains and the temple is dedicated to [[Lord Mahavira]], the 24th [[Tirthankara]] (religious preacher of Jainism), which marks the place of his cremation. Mahavira attained [[Nirvana]] (salvation) in Pawapuri in 527 BC.<ref name=Puri>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pinddaangaya.in/english%20version%20website/index.php?pg=pawapuri|title=Pawapuri|access-date=15 October 2015|publisher=Official website of District Administration of Gaya}}</ref><ref name=Apa>{{Cite web|url=http://bstdc.bih.nic.in/Pawapuri.htm|title= Pawapuri|access-date=15 October 2015|publisher=National Informatics Centre}}</ref> The temple was originally built by King Nandivardhan, elder brother of Mahavira, within the pond which is filled with red coloured lotus flowers.{{Sfn|Suriji|2013|p=23}} It is one of the five main temples in Pawpuri, where the "''Charan Paduka''" or foot impression of Mahavira is deified.<ref name=Puri/>

==Location==
The temple, a famous and sacred pilgrimage centre<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://travelnewsindia.com/pawapuri-sacred-jain-pilgrimage/|title=Pawapuri {{!}} History {{!}} Jalmandir {{!}} Samosaran {{!}} Places Near Pawapuri|date=2016-10-07|newspaper=Travel News India|access-date=2017-02-21|language=en-US}}</ref> of [[Jainism]], is located in the holy city of Pawapuri in the [[Nalanda district]] in the [[Ganga Basin]]. It is {{Convert|108|km}} away from [[Patna]], the capital city of [[Bihar]] which is the nearest airport. [[Rajgir]] the nearest convenient railway station is {{Convert|38|km}} away,<ref name=Puri/><ref name=Apa/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://india-wris.nrsc.gov.in/wrpinfo/index.php?title=Jal_Mandir_WTP1276|title=Jal Mandir WTP1276|access-date=15 October 2015|publisher=Water Resources Information System of India}}</ref> and {{Convert|8|mi}} from [[Biharsharif]] city in the subdivision of the same name. It is at the end of a {{Convert|1|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} branch road from the Patna-Ranchi road or NH 20.{{Sfn|Suriji|2013|p=23}}{{Sfn|Choudhury|1956|p=89}}

==Legend==
According to the legend, Lord Mahavira attained Nirvana at Pavapuri. The place of his cremation became a pilgrimage centre when a large number of pilgrims took out a very large amount of soil from the site, which was considered as sacred as ashes of Lord Mahavira, and thus created a huge pit which got filled up with water and became a pond. To commemorate the place of his [[nirvana]] a temple was built within the tank.<ref name=Puri/><ref name=Apa/><ref name=Thirth>{{Cite web|url=http://www.pawapuritirth.org/jal-mandir/#|title=Jal Mandir|access-date=15 October 2015|publisher=Official site of Pawapuri Tirth Organization}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Jal Mandir.The Jain Temple at Pawapur,.jpg|right|thumb|270px|Jal Mandir in Pawapuri]]
Mahavira was a prince of the Magadha Kingdom then known as "Madyama Pawa" or "Apawapuri",<ref name=Puri/> and became an [[ascetic]] at the age of 30. During one of the religious observances, called the [[chaturmas]] observed by Jains for four months during the rainy season starting from the beginning of the month of [[Ashadha|Āṣārh]] (22 June to 22 July) and ending in the month of [[Kartik (month)|Kartik]] (October/November), the Jain monks and nuns remain at one holy place and preach the religious teachings of [[Jainism]] to the local people. Mahavira also observed this practice and during this period his one such stay was at Pawapuri. On the [[Dipawali]] night on the 15th day of the month of Kartik he breathed his last when he was 72 years old. While the place of his Nirvana is commemorated by a temple called the "Gaon Mandir" meaning "village temple" (also called "Thal Mandir"), the location where he attained Nirvana, the temple built within a tank is known as the Jal Mandir.{{Sfn|Prasad|1995|p=31}} There is also another temple here dedicated to Mahavira called "Samosharan" where a statue of Mahavira delivering his last sermon is deified; the temple is circular in shape with beehive shape design.<ref name=Puri/>

==Features==
Jal Mandir, meaning a "temple in water",{{Sfn|Suriji|2013|p=23}} is built in white marble within the water tank; the tank measures 84 bigha (One bigha is 5 acres, area is 16.8 acres).{{Sfn|Prasad|1995|p=31}} The water surface of the lake is covered with lotuses. This architecturally elegant temple in the form of a "[[Vimana]]" or chariot has the footprint of Mahavira for worship. A {{Convert|600|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} bridge built in stone connects the temple with the bank of the water tank.<ref name=Puri/> The temple shines bright and sublime during a moonlit night. The pond has many species of fish which are fed by the priests and devotees.{{Sfn|Singh|1974|p=125}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Pavapuri jain Temple.jpg|Main temple
Pawapuri - 003 Gateway to temple (9243079237).jpg|Pond
Pawapuri - 004 Lions and Vases (9245852276).jpg|Artwork in the premises
Approach to Pawapuri temple - panoramio.jpg|Way to Temple
PavaPansara.jpg|Replica of Pavapuri temple at Pansara.
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Diwali (Jainism)]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Choudhury|first=Pranab Chandra Roy |title=Jainism in Bihar|url=https://archive.org/details/jainisminbihar0000royc|url-access=registration|year=1956|publisher=I.R. Choudhury}}
*{{cite book|last= Prasad |first=Jai Ram |title=Community Strucure [sic] and Political Development: A Case Study of Pyarepur Village|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wUzjyuYWsfIC&pg=PA31|year=1995|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-601-9}}
*{{cite book|last= Singh |first=B. N. |title=Trade and industrial markets of Bihar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=betXAAAAMAAJ|year=1974|publisher=Arvind Publications}}
*{{cite book|last= Suriji |first=Acharya Gunaratna |title=A Visit to Shatrunjaya: Journey to the holiest pilgrimage of Jainism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PmA8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PT23|date=16 March 2013|publisher=Multy Graphics|isbn=978-81-926607-0-7}}

{{Jain temples}}
{{Jainism topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Jain pilgrimage sites]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Nalanda district]]
[[Category:6th-century BC Jain temples]]

Jal Mandir - Revision history

>Yuyutsu Ho at 07:03, 7 June 2021