Shri Sammed Shikharji (Śikharjī) is a pilgrimage site in Giridih district, Jharkhand, India. It is located on Parasnath hill, the highest mountain in the state of Jharkhand.[1] It is the most important Jain Tirtha (pilgrimage site) by both Digambara and Śvētāmbara, for it is the place where twenty of the twenty-four Jain tirthankaras along with many other monks attained Moksha.
Etymology
Shikharji means the "venerable peak". The site is also called Sammed Śikhar "peak of concentration." because it is a place where twenty of twenty-four Tirthankaras attained Moksha through meditation.[2][3] The word "Parasnath" is derived from Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Jain Tirthankara, who was one of those who is believed to have attained Moksha at the site.[4][5][6][7]
Geography
Shikarji is located in an inland part of rural east India. It lies on NH-2, the Delhi-Kolkata highway in a section called the Grand Trunk road Shikharji rises to 4,480 feet (1,370 m) making it the highest mountain in Jharkhand state.[3]
Firman issued by Akbar which considered Shikharji as pilgrimage
The earliest reference to Shikharji as a tirth (place of pilgrimage) is found in the Jñātṛdhārmakātha, one of the twelve core texts of Jainism. Shikharji is also mentioned in the Pārśvanāthacarita, a twelfth-century biography of Pārśva. A 13th century CE palm-leaf manuscript of Kalpa Sūtra and Kalakacaryakatha has an image of a scene of Parshavanatha's nirvana at Shikharji.[14]
Modern history records show that Shikharji Hill is regarded as the place of worship of the Jain community. Vastupala, prime minister during the reign of king Vīradhavala and Vīsaladeva of Vaghela dynasty, constructed a Jain temple housing 20 idols of Tirthankaras.[15] The temple also housed images of his ancestors and Samavasarana.[16] During the regime of Mughal's rule in India, Emperor Akbar in the year 1583 had passed an firman (official order) granting the management of Shikharji Hill to the Jain community to prevent the slaughter of animals in the vicinity.[17][18] Seth Hiranand Mukim, personal jeweller of Mughal Emperor Jahangir, lead a party from Agra to Shikharji for Jain pilgrimage.[19]
Approach
Trail map showing tonks on Parasnath Hill
The pilgrimage of Shikharji starts with a Palganj on Giridih road. Palganj has a small shrine dedicated to Parshvanatha. Then, offerings are made to temples at Madhuban on the base of Parasnath hill.[20] Madhuban has many dharamshalas and bhojnalayas for pilgrims.[21]
The section from Gandharva Nala stream to the summit is the most sacred to Jains.[1] The pilgrimage is made on foot or by a litter or doli carried by a doliwallah along a concrete paved track.[22] A trek of 27 miles (43 km) is covered while performing Parikrama of Shikharji.[18] However, the complete parikrama of Madhuban to Shikharji and back is 57 kilometres (35 mi).[23]
Shikharji is considered as most important pilgrimage centre by both Digambara and Śvētāmbara and the jurisdiction of the main temples is shared by both sects.[10]
The current structure of temples at Shikharji was re-built by Jagat Seth in 1768 CE.[20] However, the idol itself is very old. The Sanskrit inscription at the foot of the image is dated 1678 CE. There is one shrine that dates back to the 14th century.[21] Several Śvētāmbara temples were constructed in 20th century.[25] Pigrims offer rice, sandal, dhupa, flower, fruits and diya.[20]
At the base of Shikharji is a temple to Bhomiyaji (Taleti). On the walls of the Jain temple at the village of Madhuban, there is a mural painting depicting all the temples on Parasnath Hill. Śvētāmbara Bhaktamara temple, established by Acharya Ramchandrasuri, is the first temple to house a Bhaktamara Stotrayantra.[26]
A large Digambar Jain temple depicting Nandishwar Dweep is at the base of the hill.[27] The Nichli temple, built by a Calcutta merchant in 18th century, is noteworthy for its architecture. The temple features arched gateways and carvings of Tirthankaras on the temple wall.[28]
Tonks
Parshvanatha Tonk
Parshvanatha footprint
Temples at base of the hill
There are 31 tonks each enshrines footprints, in black or white marble, of each Tirthankara. Since, these temple does not have images these tonks are worshipped by both Digambara and Śvētāmbara.[25]
Parshvanatha tonk
The hilltop where Parshvanatha attained moksha is called 'suvarṇabhadra kūța' and is considered the most sacred hilltop on Shikharji. The Parshvanatha tonk is constructed at this summit.[29][30][25] The chatra distinguishes Parshvanatha footprint from footprints of other 23 Tirthankaras which does not have chatra and are indistinguishable.[31] The temple consists of two floors. The top floor has a tonk with no footprints of Parshvanatha, and lower floor enshrines a saffron coloured replica of the face of Parasnath built into a wall. Devotees make offerings of uncooked rice and sweets here.[32]
Sammed Shikhar festival is annual fair organised here that draws a huge number of devotees.[33]
Replicas
Shikharji mural, Gaj Mandir in Rohtak
The representation of Sammeta-Shikharji is a popular theme in Jain shrines.[15]
On August 13, 2012, the world's first to-scale complete replication of Shikharji was opened in Siddhachalam in New Jersey over 120 acres of hilly terrain called Shikharji at Siddhachalam, it has become an important place of pilgrimage for the Jain diaspora.[34] There is a small scale replica of Shikharji at Dādābadī, Mehrauli. Ranakpur Jain temple has a depiction of Shikharji.[35] Shitalnath temple in Patan, Gujarat has a wooden plaque with carving of Shikharji.[12]
Transport
The nearest railway station named "Parasnath Station" is situated in Isri Bazar, Dumri, Jharkhand. It is around 25 km from Madhuban, at the base of Shikharji. Parasnath station is situated on Grand Chord, which is part of Howrah-Gaya-Delhi line and Howrah-Allahabad-Mumbai line. Many long-distance trains halt at Parasnath Station. Daily connectivities to Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Kolkata, Patna, Allahbad, Kanpur, Jammutawi, Amritsar, Kalka etc. are available. Even 12301-12302 Howrah Rajdhani Express via Gaya Junction has a halt on Parasnath station which run 6 days a week.
By Airway;
The nearest airport is Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport, Durgapur (RDP) West Bengal and a 4-hour drive from the airport. Durgapur has direct flights from Kolkata and Delhi
Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi (IXR), Jharkhand is also around 180 km (Approximately 4.5 hours), and the drive to Shikhar Ji is quite smooth. Direct flights are available from Delhi.
Shikharji movement
Save Shikharji was a protest movement by Jain sects against the state's development plans for Shikharji. Jains opposed the plans of the state government to improve the infrastructure in the hill to boost tourism as alleged attempts to commercialize the Shikharji hill.[36] The movement was headed by Yugbhushan Suri and demanded that Shikharji Hill be declared officially a place of worship by the Government of Jharkhand.[18] On 26 October 2018, the Government of Jharkhand issued an official memorandum declaring the Shikharji hill as a 'place of worship'.[37]
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