Panchkula Digambar Jain Mandir
For the efficient management of the Digambar Jain Mandir, the Digambar Jain Mandir Committee has been formed. The active members of the committee are as follows :
Introduction
Located 240 kilometres away from India's capital Delhi, in the state of Haryana, district Panchkula, Sector-18 houses the revered 1008 Shastra Fani Parshvanath Digambar Jain Mandir. Before the construction of this temple, there were no other Jain temples in the area, and people had to travel long distances to Chandigarh, the nearest Jain temple for darshan. In the year 2004, Acharya Shri 108 Guptisagar Ji Maharaj Ji came to Chandigarh and inspired the construction of a prayer hall at the residence of Shri Kishori Lal Jain in Panchkula. In this prayer hall, the idol of Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan was established as the Moolnayak (main deity). With the construction of the prayer hall, people no longer needed to travel to other areas for darshan. Over time, the number of devotees visiting the prayer hall increased, leading to a space crunch. Consequently, the local Jain community decided to convert the prayer hall into a temple. The temple area was expanded, and with the consent of the Jain community, a grand temple was constructed. The Panchkalyanak (consecration ceremony of the temple was held in the year 2011, in the presence of Acharya Shri 108 Guptisagar Ji Maharaj. The idol of Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan, previously housed in the prayer hall, was also enshrined in the temple.
The Moolnayak Pratima (main deity’s idol) enshrined in the temple is inspired by Shri Shastra-Fani Parshvanath Bhagwan Ji, established in Bijapur, Karnataka, which stands over eleven feet tall. This idol is crafted from black stone and is adorned with a thousand snake hoods. During the ritual of Abhishek (auspicious bath of the idol), water flows over the idol from these thousand snake hoods, creating a magnificent spectacle. The temple's other two Vedi (altar) also feature the idol of Shri 1008 Parshvanath Bhagwan Ji, along with the idol of another Tirthankar Bhagwan.
In most temples, the idols of the Navagrahas (nine planets) are placed in separate Vedi, but here the arrangement is such that atop the temple Shikhar (spire), the idols of eight Tirthankaras serving as protectors of the eight planets - Shri Padmaprabhu Bhagwan, Shri Chandraprabhu Bhagwan, Shri Mallinath Bhagwan, Shri Pushpadanta Bhagwan, Shri Vasupujya Bhagwan, Shri Mahavir Bhagwan, Shri Munisuvratanath Bhagwan, and Shri Neminath Bhagwan are seated, along with the Moolnayak of Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan, thereby all the Navagraha Tirthankaras' idols are enshrined in the temple. The Jain community holds special reverence for the temple. Every devotee who comes to the temple sincerely has all their prayers fulfilled. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world were facing the challenge of the disease, but anyone associated with the temple did not encounter any harm. Despite the pandemic, devotees have continued to maintain peace and tranquillity within the temple premises.
Dharamshala
Panchkula, a district in Haryana, is renowned as a developed city and is also known as a satellite town. People from various communities reside here and play a significant role in the area's development. The Jain community also makes a major contribution to the region. They actively participate in various social activities organised in the area. In Sector-18 of Panchkula, the construction of the Shri 1008 Shastra-Fani Digambar Jain Mandir was undertaken by the Jain community. The temple committee provides all kinds of facilities for daily visitors and pilgrims coming from distant areas. Accommodation and a dining hall are available for pilgrims. The Jain community also operates a charitable homoeopathic dispensary, providing medical services to the people.
History
Panchkula is a well-planned city in the state of Haryana, India. It was established on August 15, 1995. Like Chandigarh, Panchkula is also a planned city. The name "Panchkula" is derived from the local words "panch" (five) and "kula" (canals), meaning the city of five canals. This likely refers to the five irrigation canals that distribute water from the Ghaggar river to Mansa Devi from Nada Sahib, passing through the high mountains. These canals are a fine example of community property, maintained by the rural population from time to time. The city is surrounded by Morni Hills, with the highest peak reaching 1,514 metres. Some parts of these hills are covered with forests, and nearby are the Raitan Wildlife Sanctuary and the Bir Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1975. According to the 2011 census, Panchkula had a population of 561,293, comprising 299,679 males and 261,614 females.
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For the efficient management of the Digambar Jain Mandir, the Digambar Jain Mandir Committee has been formed. The active members of the committee are as follows :