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| Crystal gemstone idol at Chintamani Parasnath Jain temple, Azimganj |
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| The Gemstones idols at Chintamani Parasnath Jain temple, Azimganj |
Harakchand Golechha family was a renowned Shaharwali family residing at Azimganj. They were very rich and religious. The Golechha family built a complete Chouveesi made of gemstones. They established all these gemstone idols at their Ghar Dehrasar. This temple was famous as Chhote Shantinath ji. The main idol, Sri Shantinath swami, was made of jade, a rare gemstone. It had a grape color. There were another 24 idols made of various gemstones such as ruby, hessonite, rock crystal, iolite, etc. There was a Gattaji (Navpad-Siddhachakra) made of a precious gemstone, an emerald.
It is worth noting that this was the only Shwetambar Jain Chouvishee made of gemstones. There were a few other gemstone Tirthankar idols in other places, but no complete Chouvishee till the recent past. There was a Chouvishee in the Digambar Jain temple at Mudbidri.
Later on, the whole temple of Chhote Shantinathji was shifted to the Sri Chintamani Parasnath temple in Azimganj. All these idols were put in an almirah. Sri Chintamani Parasnath temple committee then shifted all these idols, building a separate Gambhara (Sanctum).
Unfortunately, all these expensive gemstone idols were stolen in the mid-1990s. It was a very sad event. I met Mr. SB Chouhan, the then Home Minister of India, along with a delegation, requesting him to put his effort into recovering stolen idols. The Hon'ble Home Minister took the pain and wrote a letter to Mr. Jyoti Basu, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. Only a few of the idols were recovered after all efforts. The rest of these gemstone idols are not yet recovered.
A few of the remaining gemstone idols are placed in the original Gambhara, whereas other statues are kept under lock and key at the Chintamani Parasnath temple in Azimganj. I have photographs of both these places, which are put here for your perusal.
It is worth noting that this was the only Shwetambar Jain Chouvishee made of gemstones. There were a few other gemstone Tirthankar idols in other places, but no complete Chouvishee till the recent past. There was a Chouvishee in the Digambar Jain temple at Mudbidri.
Later on, the whole temple of Chhote Shantinathji was shifted to the Sri Chintamani Parasnath temple in Azimganj. All these idols were put in an almirah. Sri Chintamani Parasnath temple committee then shifted all these idols, building a separate Gambhara (Sanctum).
Unfortunately, all these expensive gemstone idols were stolen in the mid-1990s. It was a very sad event. I met Mr. SB Chouhan, the then Home Minister of India, along with a delegation, requesting him to put his effort into recovering stolen idols. The Hon'ble Home Minister took the pain and wrote a letter to Mr. Jyoti Basu, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. Only a few of the idols were recovered after all efforts. The rest of these gemstone idols are not yet recovered.
A few of the remaining gemstone idols are placed in the original Gambhara, whereas other statues are kept under lock and key at the Chintamani Parasnath temple in Azimganj. I have photographs of both these places, which are put here for your perusal.
Video Jain Teerth Azimganj and Jiaganj
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