Shiradshahapur
Shri 1008 Mallinath Digamber Jain Atishaya Kshetra Shiradshahapur Place & Post – Shiradshahapur, Taluka – Oundhha (Nagnath), District – Hingoli (Maharashtra) Phone 02454-248019, 9423760409
Shri Mallinath Digamber Jain Atishaya Kshetra, Shiradashahapur is the only Atishaya Kshetra of Bhagwan Mallinath (the 19th tirthankar) in the entire India. The river ‘Asna’ flows outside the village Shiradashaha. In ancient times it was famous for the miraculous idol of Bhagwan Shantinath reverenced in ‘Shak-Samvat 1535’. But when miraculous idol of Bhagwan Mallinath was reverenced here, this place was started to be called as Atishaya Kshetra of Bhagwan Mallinath. Bhagwan Shantinath Chaityalaya is about 1000 years old.
The story related to the arrival of Bhagwan Mallinath’s idol is quite interesting. It is said that before this idol of Bhagwan Mallinath was placed here, it was among other broken & unbroken Jain idols at Ardhapur village in Nanded District. Once ‘Padmanandi Bhattaraka’ of ‘Karanjapeeth’ was going to Bheekar village. Padmanandi saw the idol of Bhagwan Mallinath in Ardhapur village while he stopped there for for a while. The thought of taking the idol of Bhagwan Mallinath to Karanja came to his mind when he saw the idol. He asked for the permission for taking idol with him but head of Panchayat & other members of Panchayat of Ardhapur village refused his request. Then Padmanandi Bhattaraka in his palanquin (Myana) went directly to the Nizam of Hyderabad. He asked the carriers of palanquin to leave the palanquin when he entered in the Nizam’s Court. The very astonishing thing happened that palanquin hanged in the air. The Nizam was quite surprised to see this & more ones he was pleased with this miracle. The Padmanandi thus got the permission of taking idol with him.
After this Bhattaraka took the idol with him to take it to Karanja from Ardhapur village. On the way Padmanandi stopped in Shiradashahapur for night stay. In Shiradshahapur during night he saw the dream to install the idol in Shiradshahapur. In the morning when devotees tried to pull the chariot, it did not move from its place. Thus as per the dream, the idol was installed in Shiradshahapur only. A magnificent temple was also constructed. The visitors have also seen the miracles of this idol, which occur time to time.
Bhagwan Shantinath Jinalaya having spires is the first temple of Shiradshahapur Atishaya Kshetra. The 1 foot 2 inch high white stone’s Padmasana idol of Bhagwan Shantinath, which was reverenced in ‘Shak-Samvat 1535’ is also installed here. The idol is quite attractive & miraculous. The magnificent and attractive Padmasana idols of Bhagwan Adinath & Bhagwan Parshvanath are also installed in this temple.
The magnificent temple of Bhagwan Mallinath is present near Shantinath temple. The 4 feet high black colored Ardha-Padmasana idol of principal deity of Bhagwan Mallinath reverenced on Magh Krishna – 3rd of V.S. 1631. This idol is majestic, beautiful & miraculous. The idol of Bhagwan Mallinath was reverenced by Surendrakirti – the Bhattaraka of Moolsangh Balatkargana. The magnificent artistic column of dignity, made of white marble was constructed in front of this temple. The white colored Padmasana idol of Bhagwan Mahaveer is installed in upper part of this temple.
Nearby places:
Navagarh Atishaya Kshetra – 55 km
Asegaon Atishaya Kshetra – 32 km
Jintur Atishaya Kshetra – 55 km