Panchmahal , also rendered as Panch Mahal , is a district in the eastern portion of Gujarat State western India . Panch-mahal means "five tehsils/talukas" (5 sub-divisions), and refers to the five sub-divisions that were transferred by the Maharaja Jivajirao Scindia of Gwalior State to the British : Godhra , Dahod , Halol , Kalol and Jhalod , Devgadh Baria . The district had a population of 2,390,776 of which 12.51% were urban as of 2001.
42-609: Pavagadh is a municipal operated region in Panchmahal district about 46 kilometres (29 mi) away from Vadodara in Gujarat state in western India . It is known for a famous Mahakali temple which is one of the 51 Shaktipeeths and draws thousands of pilgrims every day. However, as per records, this was originally a Jain temple belonging to the Svetambara Achalgaccha sect, whose Adhistayika Mahakali's idol
84-542: A tirtha , a fordable passage across saṃsāra , the sea of interminable birth and death. According to Jains, tirthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma , who have conquered saṃsāra on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara attains kevala jnana (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation). In Jain cosmology ,
126-472: A sex ratio of 945 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 72.32%. The divided district has a population of 1,642,268, of which 278,408 (16.95%) lived in urban areas. The divided district had a sex ratio of 948 females per 1000 males. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 66,529 (4.05%) and 374,413 (22.80%) of the population respectively. Hindus are 1,507,636 while Muslims are 125,235. Languages of Panchmahal district (2011) At
168-533: A province, district or its division, an estate etc. The district was originally called the Pavagadh Panch Mahals, because it consisted of five mahals administered from Pavagadh: Godhra , Kalol , Halol , Dahod , and Jhalod . The history of the Panchmahals district revolves around the city of Champaner and the nearby Pavagadh Hill . Champaner was established in the 7th century (647) in
210-400: A result of this, unlimited siddhis , or spiritual powers, are readily available to them, which they use exclusively for living beings' spiritual elevation. Through darśana , divine vision, and deshna , divine speech, they help others attain kevalajñana and moksha (final liberation). The word tirthankara signifies the founder of a tirtha , a fordable passage across saṃsāra ,
252-465: A shrine "Sadanshah Pir Dargah" was said to have been built in the 11th century temple complex. During the renovation, the dargah was shifted amicably next to the temple and the "shikhar" was constructed. A restoration was also perform by lay-followers of the Jain monk Acharya Kalyansagarsuri of Achalgaccha. On June 16, 2024, an incident of severe vandalism happened on the hill. Several Tirthankara idols at
294-416: A society harmoniously. The 24th and last tirthankara of the present half-cycle was Mahavira (599 BC–527 BC). History records the existence of Mahavira and his predecessor, Parshvanatha , the 23rd tirthankara . A tirthankara organises the sangha , a fourfold order of male and female monastics , srāvakas (male followers) and śrāvikā s (female followers). The tirthankara's teachings form
336-493: Is also commercially mined in Panchmahal; quartz and manganese are the two largest mineral resources in the district, with total production of the two combined exceeding 400,000 tonnes in 2011. Panchmahal also has the most extensive graphite deposits in the state of Gujarat, and there are granite quarries in several parts of the district. Agriculture is the main source of employment for the people of Panchmahal: 75.88% of
378-522: Is bordered by Dahod district to the north-east & east, Vadodara district to the southwest and Chhota Udaipur district to southeast, Kheda district to the west and Mahisagar district to the north. Panch-mahal is a Hindustani or Gujarati word derived from Panch ("five") and Mahal which adopted from its original usage in Arabic for a place or type of building, later adopted in Hindi to refer to
420-530: Is grown as a second crop, after rice and maize are harvested; its widespread cultivation is particularly characteristic of Panchmahal. The main livestock animals in Panchmahal are buffaloes , particularly of the Mehsani and Surati breeds, cattle , and goats . Many animals are kept for dairy products , and dairy farms have traditionally been an important source of employment for many rural families. Additionally, around 3,000 people were employed in fishing in
462-459: Is identifiable by the locks of hair falling on his shoulders. Sometimes Suparshvanath is shown with a small snake-hood. The symbols are marked in the centre or the corner of the statue's pedestal. The Jain sects Digambara and Śvetāmbara have different depictions of idols. Digambara images are naked without any ornamentation, whereas Śvetāmbara ones are clothed and decorated with temporary ornaments. The images are often marked with Srivatsa on
SECTION 10
#1732772681287504-410: Is known as Machi Haveli . The bus service has been extended up to Machi. The great music maestro of 16th century, and Tansen's contemporary rival, Baiju Bawra belonged to Champaner . Pavagadh temple has a controversial history as 15th century king Sultan Mahmud Begda, who ruled Champaner, where the temple is located, is said to have destroyed the "shikhar" or spire of the temple. During that time
546-464: Is represented either in the lotus position ( Padmasana ) or in the meditation Khadgasana ( Kayotsarga ) posture. The latter, which is similar to the military standing at attention , is a difficult posture to hold for long and is preferred by Jains because it minimizes the amount of the body in contact with the earth, and thus the risk to sentient creatures living in or on it. If seated, they are usually depicted seated with their legs crossed in front,
588-453: Is said to be available to all living beings regardless of religion. Tīrthaṅkaras are arihants who, after attaining kevala jñāna (pure infinite knowledge), preach the dharma . An Arihant is also called Jina (victor), one who has conquered inner enemies such as anger, attachment, pride, and greed. They dwell exclusively within the realm of their soul and are entirely free of kashayas , inner passions, and personal desires. As
630-509: Is usual in Indian sculpture, the depiction takes relatively little interest in accurate depiction of musculature and bones but is interested in modeling outer surfaces as broad swelling forms. The ears are extremely elongated, alluding to the heavy earrings the figures wore in their early lives before they took the path to enlightenment, when most were wealthy, if not royal. Sculptures with four heads are not uncommon in early sculpture, but unlike
672-612: The 2002 Gujarat riots were incited from. In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Panchmahal one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640 ). It is one of the six districts in Gujarat currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF). The Panchmahal district is rich in forestry resources. In 2011, 23.26% of the total land area of
714-499: The 2011 census , Panchmahal district has a population of 2,390,776, roughly equal to the nation of Latvia or the US state of New Mexico . This gives it a ranking of 187th in India (out of a total of 640 ). The district has a population density of 458 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,190/sq mi) . Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 17.92%. PanchMahal has
756-411: The mangoes of the region, calling them the best in the kingdom, and said that sandalwood grew abundantly here and was used to build houses. Throughout the 1600s, the forests around Dahod and Champaner were used as hunting grounds for wild elephants . In October 1997, Dahod was split off as a new district with headquarters at the town of the same name. The district is the site of Godhra , where
798-406: The tirthankara preaches the path to liberation in the samavasarana . According to Jain texts, devas (heavenly beings) erect the heavenly pavilion where devas , humans, and animals assemble to hear the tirthankara . A samavasarana is a three-level structure. The lowest level, made of rajat (silver), is the parking space for vehicles. The second is the svarna (gold) level. All animals reside in
840-462: The Panchmahal district in 2011, almost entirely in ponds and artificial tanks due to the lack of major year-round rivers in the area. Industry is concentrated in Godhra, Kalol, and Halol. The largest manufacturing categories in the district in 2011 included Rubber and Plastic Products, Basic Metal Industries, Machinery and Parts Except Electrical, and Mining and Quarrying . According to
882-567: The Panchmahal district was covered by forest . 97.80% of the forested area in Panchmahal was classified as reserved forest . Common trees in the forests of Panchmahal include mahuda , teak , and khakhra . Since 1989, the Forest Department has planted new trees throughout the district in order to increase the total forest area and counter deforestation . Panchmahal district is the largest producer of quartz , trap , and quartzite in Gujarat, for use as road material. Manganese ore
SECTION 20
#1732772681287924-467: The Tapagacch such as Acharya Dharmaratnasuri, Acharya Hemvimalsuri, Acharya Laxmisagarsuri, Acharya Bhuvansundarsuri etc. have consecrated Jain temples and idols on the hill. According to several Śvetāmbara scriptures, at one time, these shrines were considered to be of equal rank and importance as those atop the hill at Palitana . It is believed that there was one large Śvetāmbara temple earlier on
966-472: The basis for the Jain canons . The inner knowledge of tirthankara is believed to be perfect and identical in every respect, and their teachings contain no contradictions. The degree of elaboration varies according to society's spiritual advancement and purity during their period of leadership. The higher the level of society's spiritual advancement and purity of mind, the lower the elaboration required. While Jains document and revere tirthankaras , their grace
1008-409: The chest and Tilaka on the forehead. Srivatsa is one of the ashtamangala (auspicious symbols), which sometimes resembles fleur-de-lis , an endless knot , a flower, or a diamond-shaped symbol. The bodies of tirthankara statues are exceptionally consistent throughout over 2,000 years of the historical record. The bodies are rather slight, with very wide shoulders and a narrow waist. Even more than
1050-597: The comparable Hindu images, these represent four different tirthanakaras , not four aspects of the same deity. Multiple extra arms are avoided in tirthanakara images, though their attendants or guardians may have them. The first Tirthankara , Rishabhanatha is mentioned in Hindu texts like the Rigveda , Vishnupurana , and Bhagwata Purana . The Yajurveda mentions the name of three Tīrthaṅkaras: Ṛiṣhabha, Ajitnātha and Ariṣṭanemi. The Bhāgavata Purāṇa includes legends about
1092-414: The district's total working population was employed in agriculture in 2011, compared with 49.61% for the state as a whole. The main crops are rice , maize , tur , gram , castor , cotton , and wheat . Of these, the most widely cultivated are rice, maize, wheat, castor, and tur, in that order, owing to their relative profitability and ease of cultivation. In the hillier eastern parts of the district, gram
1134-679: The first tirthankara , founded the Ikshvaku dynasty , from which 21 other tirthankaras rose over time. Two tirthankaras – Munisuvrata , the 20th, and Neminatha , the 22nd – belonged to the Harivamsa dynasty. In Jain tradition, the 20 tirthankaras attained moksha on Mount Shikharji , in the present Indian state of Jharkhand . Rishabhanatha attained nirvana on Mount Ashtāpada (Mount Kailash), Vasupujya in Champapuri , Bihar , Neminatha on Mount Girnar , Gujarat , and Mahavira,
1176-531: The form of a woman and danced in a Garba during Navaratri . The last Patai, Jaisinh watched her with dirty looks. The deity became angry at Jaisinh and cursed him that the town will fall. Eventually, the Muslim emperor of Gujarat , Mahmud Begada assaulted Pavagadh and won the hill on the boundary in the 15th century. Patai was defeated and killed. Mahmud Begada shifted his capital from Ahmedabad to Champaner for some time for reasons of Diplomacy. He developed
1218-461: The fort & the temples of Pavagadh repaired. There have been several attempts to destroy the evidence of its Jain heritage . However, the court ordered against destruction of facts and heritage. The Jain history of Pavagadh dates back to 3rd century BC. Several monks of the Achalgacch such as Acharya Mahendraprabhasuri, Acharya Merutungasuri, Acharya Jaykesarisuri amongst many, and those of
1260-566: The hill, which faced multiple invasions. The ruins of that temple have been used to construct 3 smaller Digambar temples by the Digambar community who have taken over these Svetambar temples. It is said that King Vanraj Chavda established Champaner at the foot of Pavagadh in fond memory of his wise minister Champa. Later, the Patai Raval family ruled Pavagadh and took care of the boundary. The local folk tales say that Mahakali assumed
1302-537: The last tirthankara , at Pawapuri , near modern Patna . Twenty-one of the tirthankaras are said to have attained moksha in the kayotsarga (standing meditation posture), while Rishabhanatha, Neminatha, and Mahavira are said to have done so in the Padmasana ( lotus position ). In chronological order, the names, emblems and colours of the 24 tirthankaras of this age are: The next 24 tirthankaras , who will be born in utsarpinī age, are: A tīrthaṅkara
Pavagadh - Misplaced Pages Continue
1344-479: The new industries coming up in this area. As a result of it, Halol and Kalol towns near Pavagadh have turned into virtual Industrial estates. A film studio at Halol has this added advantage. Pavagadh is the gateway to Panchmahal . The locations of hilly areas around Halol provide good scenery. Pavagadh Hill has total height of 822 meters and you can find many scenic trails to climb including waterfalls during monsoon time. The plateau at an altitude of 490 meters
1386-615: The sea of interminable births and deaths. Tirthankaras are variously called "Teaching Gods", "Ford-Makers", "Crossing Makers", and "Makers of the River-Crossing. Jain texts propound that a special type of karma , the tīrthaṅkara nama-karma , raises a soul to the supreme status of a Tīrthaṅkara . The Tattvartha Sutra , a major Jain text, lists 16 observances that lead to the bandha (bondage) of this karma : Five auspicious events called Pañca kalyāṇaka mark every tirthankara 's life: After attaining kevalajñāna ,
1428-464: The sides of the staircase on the old path to reach the Kalika Mata shrine were desecrated and broken down. Most desecrated idols were over 400 years old, some even ancient and belonged exclusively to the Śvetāmbara sect. Jain monk Jinpremvijaya spearheaded a peaceful protest at the local collector's office. Panchmahal district The district is located on the eastern end of the state. It
1470-400: The svarna level, while the highest level, made of precious gems, is reserved for various important figures, such as kings and their families, the devas and the ascetics. Humans and animals hear a tirthankara 's speech in their language. It is believed that during this speech, there is no unhappiness for miles around the site. Jainism postulates that time has no beginning or end. It moves like
1512-730: The territory of King Vanraj Chavda of Chavda dynasty . In the 13th century, the Delhi Sultanate under Alauddin Khalji took the city from the Chauhan rulers. Their rule continued until 1484 when Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat captured the city. Thereafter Godhra became the center of the district under the Mughal Empire (1575 to 1727). The author of the Mirat-i Sikandari , writing in 1611, spoke high praise of
1554-400: The time of the 2011 Census of India , 95.44% of the population in the district spoke Gujarati , 2.28% Urdu and 1.48% Hindi as their first language. Tirthankara In Jainism , a Tirthankara ( IAST : tīrthaṅkara ; lit. ' ford -maker ' ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the dharma (righteous path). The word tirthankara signifies the founder of
1596-406: The toes of one foot resting upon the knee of the other leg, and the right hand lying over the left in the lap. Tirthankara images have no distinctive facial features, clothing, or (mostly) hairstyles, and are differentiated based on the symbol or emblem ( Lanchhana ) belonging to each tirthanakara except Parshvanatha . Statues of Parshvanatha have a snake crown. The first Tirthankara, Rishabha ,
1638-457: The town by constructing buildings such as the fort of Champaner, Uohra mosque, Mandavi, Kirtistambh, the temple of Shalkh, Jama Masjid (originally a Jain temple), Nagina Mosque and Kevda Mosque. The remains of the Palace of Begada are still found near Vad Talav (Banyan Pond) two kilometers (1.25 miles) away from Champaner by road. The government has granted many concessions and offered subsidies to
1680-434: The wheel of a cart. The wheel of time is divided into two halves, Utsarpiṇī (ascending half cycle) and Avasarpiṇī (descending half cycle). 24 tirthankaras are born in each half of this cycle. In Jain tradition, the tirthankaras were royal in their final lives, and Jain texts record details of those lives. Their clan and families are also among those recorded in legendary stories. According to Jain canons, Rishabhanatha ,
1722-453: The wheel of time is divided into two halves, Utsarpiṇī , the ascending time cycle, and avasarpiṇī , the descending time cycle (said to be current now). In each half of the cycle, exactly 24 tirthankaras grace this part of the universe. There have been infinitely many tirthankaras in the past. The first tirthankara in the present cycle (Hunda Avsarpini) was Rishabhanatha , who is credited with formulating and organising humans to live in
Pavagadh - Misplaced Pages Continue
1764-463: Was installed here in the 12th century. This locality Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2004. Pavagadh was an Ancient Jain Pilgrimage. In 140 CE, Greek geographer Ptolemy during his tour to India stated that Pavagadh is very ancient & holy, which proves its antiquity. It is stated that Raja Gangasinh, a successor of Emperor Ashok got
#286713