The Divine Dream !

Anyone familiar with Kolkata would surely be aware of the Maniktalla Jain Temples. Fondly known as the Parasnath Temple (usually called as Pareshnath Temple), the cluster of four Jain temples is frequented by tourists and devotees alike with the local Bengali community also worshipping the Jain “thakur” (god).

Right in the middle of the Maniktalla locality, lies an oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle. The most beautiful of the four temples is dedicated to Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan and was built by Rai Bahadoor Badridas Mookim in 1867. Today, the temple bears the testimony of how devotion can create wonders.

The magnificent temple of Shitalnath Bhagwan

The presiding lord: Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan

Badridas Mookim was a descendent of Bhama Shah, the financer and a minister in the court of Rana Pratap of Mewar. His father, Kalkadas Mookim was the official jeweler to Nawab Wajid Ali Shah in Lucknow. However, Badridas migrated from Lucknow to Calcutta after the decline of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. He established his own business house and subsequently, was appointed as the Court Jeweler to the Viceroy & Governor General of British India. His work was so well appreciated in the British circles that the title of Rai Bahadoor was conferred upon him.

Rai Bahadoor Badridas Mookim

On his visits to the ancient Dadawadi (a shrine dedicated to revered Jain monks Acharya Shri Sthulibhadra & Acharyas of Khartargaccha lineage) in Maniktalla, Sheth Badridas noticed a pond, barely a few metres away, where the locals used to fish. Being a devout Jain, he could not witness the killing of so many innocent lives. Therefore, he purchased the entire plot where the pond was situated.

Later, on the valuable advice of his mother, Smt. Khushal Devi, he decided to make a temple on the plot. In due course the local artisans constructed a temple made of red stone. Although the temple constructed was very grand, Sheth Badridas did not think it was fit to house the lord ! He decided to re-design it himself.

The temple was then re-designed with Belgian mirrors, stained glass paintings, European chandeliers and intricately patterned marble motif floorings. The temple was set within a picturesque and beautifully colored flower garden filled with striking fountains dotted with exquisitely carved marble statues placed along the pathways. The fish pond was converted into a water reservoir further beautifying the surroundings. It took 25 years to complete the temple !

An old image of Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan's temple

An old image of Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan's temple

During this entire period, Sheth Badridas was on the lookout for artisans who could sculpt the main deity (Mulnayak) of the temple. He visited Jaipur and many other distant places from where he would return disappointed as none of the artisans could carve out the statue which Badridas Mookim desired.

Witnessing all his efforts in vain, he went to Acharya Shri Kalyansurishwarji Maharaj. The acharya bhagwant blessed and told him that as his wish was so noble, it would get fulfilled very soon. The Acharya Bhagwant also stated that the temple would be dedicated to Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan, the 10th Tirthankar who was the protector of aquatics.

Shrine housing the idol of Acharya Shri Kalyansurishwarji Maharajja. The three seated figures in front of the idol represent Badridas Mookim’s father, and the elder and younger brothers.

The same night, Badridas Mookim dreamt that he would find the statue in the town of Agra. In accordance with the dream he arrived at Agra. While attending a ceremonial procession, he got into a conversation with an unknown person to whom he narrated the purpose of his journey. Pondering over it for a while, the person took him to the Jain temple situated in Roshan Mohalla and pointed out that beneath the surface he would find the deity he was looking for.

Next day, taking the person, he went to the temple and assured the authorities that he would bear all the expenses incurred post which he had the area dug up. In the process, he came across a staircase, leading down to what appeared to be a Bhoyru (basement). Sheth Badridas descended down the steps and at a considerable depth he was surprised to find a beautiful statue of Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan and a burning lamp next to the statue !

The divine idol of Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan

With due reverence, Sheth Badridas immediately had the statue and the lamp taken out. On ascending the surface, he looked for the person who had directed him to the spot, but he was nowhere to be seen. The statue and the lamp were carried back to Calcutta and were installed in a grand ceremony in the holy presence of Acharya Shri Kalyansurishwarji Maharaj. Till date the lamp has been burning non-stop and thus has been named as the “Akhand Deepak”

The Akhand Deepak - The miraculous lamp

Today, the magnificent temple with its slender spires gracing the skyline, lavish archways and ceilings ornamented with stained glass and stone inlay work along with its beautiful cornices running along from pillar to pillar make it a landmark unparalleled in beauty. Let us witness the glory of the temple in some of the pictures below ~

The grand Rangmandap

The 108 Bulb Chandelier hanging from the gorgeous dome. The apex of the dome’s interior has a lotus-like motif and the ridges radiate out of this centerpiece dividing the dome into 16 equal sections. Each section houses a standing male figure on top holding various musical instruments and standing female figure at the bottom with outstretched arms holding garland-like objects 

Shri Anandswami - 1st Gandhar (principle disciple) of Shri Shitalnath Bhagwan

Footprints of revered gurubhagwants

Idol of Indra dev within the temple

The beautiful mirrorwork inside the temple

The beautiful mirrorwork inside the temple

The European Chandeliers

The Rangmandap houses several miniature paintings. Placed below the ceiling of the Rangmandap, these paintings narrate events from the lives of Tirthankars.

The temple boasts some beautiful examples of Corinthian orders. Among the three primary varieties of columns or order (Doric, Ionian and Corinthian) used in the Greek architecture, the Corinthian order is most ornate and has been incorporated in the temple architecture in profusion

The temple is topped by a shekhari style Shikhar (this style depicts the main spire with sub-spires attached to its body; the urushringas [sub-spires] echo the shape of the main spire). The main Shikhar is topped by an Amalaka (notched disk-like objects with ridges on the rims that top the shikhar), lotus, kalash (the spire on the shikhar), and a dhwaja (flag)

The front veranda is topped by an undulating canopy-like ceiling with bold glassworks. The ceilings of the side verandas are flat with smaller floral designs. Frieze-like structures made of cast iron frame the flat ceilings from three sides

The entrance itself is highly ornate. Among the geometric and floral motifs, there are two tiles with two figures of European styled nymphs representing day & and night placed on either side of the entrance

Right beside the shrine of Acharya Kalyansurishwarji maharaj, a maze-like structure can be seen. The path etched through this maze symbolically leads to heaven upwards and hell downwards, like a snake and ladder game

The temple compound houses a large hall that was once used for religious gatherings and, occasionally, as a guesthouse. Inside this congregation hall, the doors are painted with a series of Ragamala (garland of ragas) paintings by the artist Ganesh Muskare. Traditionally, the Ragamala paintings is a set of miniature paintings depicting Indian ragas. The paintings also illustrate the time of the day and the season in which the raga is sung; often, the paintings depict the deities associated with the raga. The uniqueness of the Muskare Ragamala series is its rendition in the Western landscape painting style. 

Aerial view of the temple

The doorways

The gardens

Fountains dancing away in the pond

The gardens

The  Dochala styled entrance

A procession of Elephants welcoming the visitors

The tale of Madhubindu depicted in the tiled motifs

A small portrait of 32 year old Badridas Mookim painted on one of the pillars at the entrance of the temple

Stamp issued by the British Government featuring the Shitalnath Bhagwan Jinalay in 1935