Derasar
Encyclopedia
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
for followers of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, except for non-murtipujak Svetambaras. Derasar is a word used in Gujarat, Kutch and parts of Rajasthan, in other parts of India, the term Jain Mandir is used for all the Jain temples. Jain idols of Tirthankaras are worshipped there. Usually they are built from marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
.
Derasars are found in many states of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, with Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, Utter Pradesh and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
being prominent. Some famous Jain temples are located in Palitana
Palitana
Palitana is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre for Jains.-History:...
, Shankheshwar
Shankheshwar
Shankheshwar is an important tirthas of Jainism. It is situated in the Patan district of Gujarat state of India.According to Mughal history, the Shankheshwar village was a lease-grant by Emperor Shah Jahan to Shantidas, a former nagarsheth of Ahmedabad.A fair is held here on the full moon days of...
, Shikharji
Shikharji
Shikharji or Śrī Sammed Śikharjī , also known as the Parasnath Hill, located in Giridih district in Jharkhand state, India, is a major Jain pilgrimage destination and is the most sacred place for Jains in the world. According to Jain belief, twenty of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained Moksha ...
, Vataman
Vataman
Vataman or Vataman Chowkdi is a small village in the western state of Gujarat in India located at a crossroads about an hour and a half from Ahmedabad or Amdavad airport on the road to Palitana...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Mahudi
Mahudi
Mahudi is a village near the river Sabarmati. This village is in Mansa Taluka of Gandhinagar District. Gandhinagar is 35 km. away and Ahmedabad is 70 km. away. Nearby town is Vijapur, which is 6 km. away.- Mahudi Tirth :...
Shri Ghantakarna Vir Temple and Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad also known as Karnavati is the largest city in Gujarat, India. It is the former capital of Gujarat and is also the judicial capital of Gujarat as the Gujarat High Court has its seat in Ahmedabad...
(Amdavad).
Modern Dehrasars are generally made up of the best and whitest available marble. There are two type of dehrasar:
- Shikar-bandhi derasar (one with the dome) and
- Ghar derasar (Home Temple without dome).
All shikar-bandhi derasar have many marble pillars which are carved beautifully with Demi god posture. There is always a main deity also known as mulnayak in each derasar. The main part of derasar is called "Gambhara" (Garbha Graha) in which there is the stone carved God idol. One is not supposed to enter the Gambhara without taking a bath and without wearing puja (worship) clothes and also one has to tie a cloth mask over the nose and mouth before entering the gambhara, to protect the santity & purity of the Garbha Graha or else they will be fired by the regular people coming to temple.
A derasar which is 100 years old is called a Tirtha
Tirtha
In Jainism, a tīrtha |ford]], a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha...
. A dehrasar is also called a tirth if it has a large facility for food and nightstay.
A dehrasar generally holds the statues of three of the Tirthankaras: Rishabha
Rishabha (Jain tirthankar)
In Jainism, R̥ṣabha or Ādinātha , also known as the "Lord of Kesariya") was the first of the 24 Tīrthaṅkaras. According to Jain beliefs, R̥ṣabha founded the Ikshvaku dynasty and was the first Tīrthaṅkara of the present age...
, Parshva
Parshva
Pārśva or Paras was the twenty-third Tirthankara "Ford-Maker" in Jainism . He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure. Pārśva was a nobleman belonging to the Kshatriya varna....
and Mahavira
Mahavira
Mahāvīra is the name most commonly used to refer to the Indian sage Vardhamāna who established what are today considered to be the central tenets of Jainism. According to Jain tradition, he was the 24th and the last Tirthankara. In Tamil, he is referred to as Arukaṉ or Arukadevan...
. The main deity of a dehrasar is known as a mula nayak. They are the chosen idols since Rishabha is the first tirthankara of the religion, Parshva
Parshva
Pārśva or Paras was the twenty-third Tirthankara "Ford-Maker" in Jainism . He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure. Pārśva was a nobleman belonging to the Kshatriya varna....
is the 23rd tirthankara, and Mahavir is the last tirthankara, who according to tradition had helped write all the scriptures such as the Jain Agamas.
There are some strict rules for entering some, but not all, derasars:
- Should wear washed clothes in which one has not gone for toilet or latrine after washing.
- One should not be chewing any eatables (food, gum, mints, etc.), and no eatables should be stuck in the mouth.
- If one takes food inside derasar, one should not bring that food back outside Derasar. It should be left inside the derasar only.
- Anyone who is hurt and is still bleeding should not enter the temple.
- A woman who is in her menstrual cycle should also not enter derasar. A lady is not supposed to enter derasar even after three days of menstrual cycle.
External links
- Derasar and Dargah coexist in Gandhi's Gujarat
- Jaina Architecture in India, Comprehensive study of Jain architecture with high quality photos.
- Photos of Mulnayak in Jain Temples