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Jain Temples at Jamnagar
The Jamnagar tirtha is renowned as a place of pilgrimage for the Jainas with its fourteen majestic Jain temples. The city has Jain temples which give a glimpse of the ancient peak of Shatrunjaya. Jam Raval raised this city in the year V.S. 1596 (1539 CE) on the 7th day of the bright half of Shravan, and named it as Navanagar. Jains have contributed a lot towards the development of this city. Actually, the history of the Jain temples starts with the birth of this city. Six out of the fourteen Jina temples are 300 to 350 years old, while the rest were constructed some fifty or more years back.
The Jina temple situated in the heart of the city is known as the temple of Sheth. The foundation-laying ceremony of this temple was performed by Shri Anand Sheth during the reign of Jam Sataji in V.S. 1633 (1576 CE) and Adinath Bhagavan was ceremoniously installed as the mulnayak at the auspicious hands of Shri Vijayadevasuri.
Just nearby stands the vast Jaina Chaitya got constructed by Shri Vardhaman Shah and Padmasinh Sheth. Shri Shantinath Bhagavan is installed here. Fifty two Shrines are constructed all around. Here, in the temple known as Choriwala, a fine stone-pandal with an altar is constructed near the shrine of Shri Neminath Bhagavan. From the viewpoint of vastness and beautiful structure, this Jina temple stands unique in art and architecture. A total number of fourteen temples add to the beauty of the city and religious fervour of pilgrims.
- Jamnagar Shantinath Mandir
Shantinath Mandir is situated, south-west of Bedi Gate, in Jamnagar. The temple has intricate carvings and the walls are adorned with fine murals, which depict the life of Jain saints. The floor is made of marble and decorated with distinctive Jain patterns in yellow, black, white and red.
- Jamnagar Vardhman Shah’s Temple
Vardhman Shah’s Temple, also known as Shri Oswal Colony Jain Derasar, is a delightful shrine and one of the four main Jain temples in Jamnagar. The foundation stone of this shrine was laid in 1612, during the reign of Jam Jasaji I and was completed in the year 1620. Fifty two very small temples or ‘Deri’ were built around the temple in 1622.
- Jamnagar Neminath Jain Derarsar
Neminath Jain temple is situated near Chandi Bazar in the eastern section of the city.