Tourist Attraction Of Jalore
In Rajasthan’s South West Jalore is situated where Jal tree was founded in huge quantity.This was the sacred groove of sage Jabali. From defence point of view it was invincible.Historians believe that in vedic ages among the nine sons of Manu his fourth son established his kingdom here that came to be known as Anart. According to Dhundumara Ayodhya’s Ikshvashu king Kuvlasav defeated the local residents and brought under his control.There after Druh &Yadavas ruled here that remained till battle of Mahabharat.
Jalore is referred as a prosperous town mentioned in Kuvalyasava written in 8th Century.There were many temples and forts here.Then it was ruled by Prathiar king Vatsaraj. After Prathiars, parmar ruled here and remained till 12 th century It is said that towards the end of 10th century Malwa’s parmar ruler Mung captured Jalore and by 1117 A.D.visal parmar ruled here.The ancestors of visal were Dharavarsh, Vijjal Aparajit, Devraj Chandan and Vakpatiraj etc.
After Visal in 1664 A.D. Chalukya king Naresh Kumar Pal was enshrined.But there was animosity between Chalukyas’ of Gujarat and chouhan of Ajmer.That’s why chouhan King Vigraharaj IV while expanding his kingdom drawn Chalukyas out and Jalore became a part of chouhan kingdom.
Jalore Fort
Pride & Prestige of Jalore is its fort that sings its own story of valor & strength.This fort is a property of State Government’s archeological department and a protected building since 1956.To go to Jalore fort one has to go through zig-zag roads of mid of town.
It is situated in south of Jalore 1200 feet over the mountains.A zig zag way leads to the fort upon the mountain where on each step the height goes on increasing.The first gate comes while climbing upward called Suraj Pole. Arch of this gate is of immense beauty. Here there are made small rooms where the security guards used to stay.To refrain from artillery firing a huge wall surrounds the gate from front. This wall is around 25 feet high and 15 feet in width.After it walking for another half a mile second gate known as Dhruv Pole comes.This obstacle was also peculiar from defense point of view.Without winning this post entry into the fort was negligible.
Third gate is called Chand Pole which is more grand, strong and beautiful from others.From here onwards the rampart that runs along the way on both sides is divided into many parts and conceals within it rounded surface of mountain and then expands.The place between third & fourth gates, Fourth gate is called Sire Pole. One part of the rampart before reaching there takes a left turn upwards and touches the highest part of the mountain and the second rampart moves towards right sick and while encircling mountain peals around it meets the first boundary.
The length of the fort is ¾ Km. and breadth is half a Kilo Meter.Presently there is palace of king Mansingh, two water reservoirs, one Shiv Temple, temple of goddesses Jogmaya, station of Viram Dev, three Jain temples shrine of Mallik Shah and One Mosque. Among temples the temple of Parshavnath is the grandest of all.The idols sculpted on the walls in the back side of temple attracts visiters the most.
Moving from the four faced Jain Temple to the palace of Mansingh , one pillar of Parmar dynasty stands reserved on a small platform. Probably this is the only memorial of Parmars.The human height red stone’s pillar instantly speaks out the beauty of its artistic sculpting. Before many decades this pillar was found while cleaning a water reservoir that was situated here. While entering the palace of Man Singh one big square meeting hall comes, whose right side is a hall.In this hall there is one broken and one big artillery machine is placed. Some artilleries could be found here and there in fort’s compound.Just down of Mansingh Palace towards general way are casements on height are good example of rock out. Two storyed queen palace is also there is this Palace.In its courtyard is one underground reservoir that is now not open for general public. In palace are found big storage houses that were used for storing foodgrains, Ghee etc. Behind the palace is the read to Shiv Temple . There is located one big ShivLing of white marble.From the backside of the temple the way leads towards water reservoir where there is a temple of goddesses Chamunda built. In this temple is found a inscription on which it is mentioned that war encircled king KanherDev was given magical sword by goddesses Bhagwati here.
In the midst of Jalore town are left remains of a grand Sanskrit school and a temple of king Bhoj times that after passage of several centuries it speaks of its grandeur itself.Bhoj was an intellect of Sanskrit.For the spread of education he built many schools in his capital Dhar, Ajmerand Jalore, all Three are of same structure.Now a days the Sanskrit school of Dhar is known by the name of Mosque of Kamaal Maula, Ajmer School by Adhai Din Ka Jhopda and Jalore school by the name of Topkhana. Artilleries were kept during Rathore’s tenure consequently the name Topkhana emerged for it.>After independence supply officers made it a storage for food grains.This is a protected building of Archaeological department, One security personnel is kept here.Presently for any tourist a nominal Rs.2.00 and from students Rs.1.00 is charged as fee for visiting it. The way from panchayat samiti office towards Badi Pole leads straight towards it from Tilak Dwar also the straight way leads towards Topkhana.
In this school there is beautiful work on stone carved.On both flanks small temples are built where no idols are present now. Just in front of entrance gate is main structure built on whose strong pillars the roof is surviving. Every pillars attracts visitors for hours of its tiny stone carvings. It is an example of the beauty of middle ages art.The engravings of flowers, chains, elephant, bells, vines and geometry. In the main premise one room is built 10 feet above earth in the right corner, stairs are built to lead there. This might probably be the seat of headmaster or teacher to teach students in large number.
There are 276 pillars in this building and speaks of its prosperity.While entering from the main gate on the left side is temple that might had Shivling in past.Now a days there are many idols left broken.In it Vishnu,Shiv Parvati, Ganesha and Varaha idols are peculiar.In the right side of school is flank, beautified by raw art.It is felt that its construction was continuous but because of some reasons it was left over. The same thing is with main arch of canopy the outside of which is also incomplete. The proper maintenance of it can definitely attract tourist and foreigners.
Sire Temple of Jalore
Being the sacred groove of sage Jabali many saints came & meditated here.Pandawas spent some of there time here and king Bhruthhari’s path leader Suanath and his disciples made it there home. There are many temples for Shiva & Shakti present here, out of which Sire Mandir Temple is famous for its natural beauty belief & austerity.
West of Jalore on Kalashachal Sire temple is situated on 646 m high.The road in front of Geetco Hotel leads directly towards the Kalashachal mountain.It is only 3 Km . away from town.While climbing the mountain,we may find Yogiraj Jalandhar Nath Ji’s footsteps’imprints. Nearby there is a temple and one big water hut and parking place for Jeep,Car, Scooter etc. From valley of mountain to temple it is only 3 Km . of climbing where stairs are made for safe climbing.In between there is a temple of Hanuman & lord Ganesha built.The path is basically good & approachable.
Sire temple is the house of lord Shankar built by Raja Ratan Singh known as Ratneshwar Temple and is famous for its vastness.Shivling is established in one rounded Cave. Here there is one Jhalara,a big Mansarovar, Non Stop ‘Dhunna’, Dinning Hall,Palace of Raja Mansingh, two beautiful gardens and Resting place on different locations.Presently in the undertaking of Mahant Shantinath Ji Maharaj new construction had taken place and plantation on mass basis happened.There is facility of both Telephone & electricity.On the other side water facility for tourists is available 24 hours.
In front of Ratneshwar temple one big elephant of cement & stone is built. Being the sacred groove of Yogi Jalandhar Nath Ji, it also a sacred groove of Yogi Suanath, Dev Nath, Bhawani Nath, Bhairunath, Phoolnath Kesarnath and Bholenath also. Jodhpur ’s king Mansingh also prayed here to get his kingdom back.
70 Km . away from Jalore, 40 Km . from Bhinmal and 50 Km . from Aburoad, Jaswantpura is the most greenous panchayat samiti area of Jalore district.Situated in the valley of mountain its natural beauty is tremendous Temperature during summers remains comparatively Low.Formerly there was a big village named Lohiyana in this area where Lohiyana dynasty’s king lived.They had both army & fort.Once Maharana Pratap also took shelter in Lohiyana.That’s why Lohiyana’s king was called Rana as it was under mewar’s suzerainty.
Afterwards due to economic disruptions king Rana salji Dewal became a dacoit his army kept dacoiting in Marwar province.Hence Jodhpur ’s king Jaswant Singh attacked Lohiyana in 1883 A .D. and ravaged it and destroyed fort also.By his name town named Jaswantpura was settled.To rest during winter he built one rest house in mountains.This building is now left uncared, today also it is the private property of descendants of royal family of Jodhpur . During Riyasat time hukumat headquater was established here.After independence Tehsil was established then it was transferred to Bhinmal.This area is rich in wild life.Tigers,boars,bears, monkeys etc strays into nearby villages so many times.
Fort of Kot Kasta
65 Km . away from headquater Jalore and 20 Km from Sub Division Bhinmal this place kot kasta was once two villages named Kot & Kastha now known as unified Kot Kasta.In 1804 A .D. Mansingh ascended throne of Jodhpur and made Ayas Devnath his Guru.During Mansingh’s time influence of Yogis of nath community increased a lot.He also gave many Jagirs of Naths.Yogi Bheemnath was also given jagir near village Kasta. He was famous by the name Bheemnathji Maharaj on a hereby mountain one small fort was made surrounded it with defensive wall.
In building this wall mountain was also used as wall. Outside this fort’s boundary wall one big wall was also made, to enter those two big and two small gates were made.In this way nearby Kasta a village named Kot settled here.Village inside fort’s boundary wall was called Kot and outside it Kasta and jointly come to be known as Kot Kasta.
Nearly 200 years old this Naths fort consists of there storeyed palace rampart, tower and huge entry gate and many other construction could be found.From the twilight of sum fort could be seen from quiet a distance.Though small in size it is though beautiful and strong.In defensive walls there are place lift for firing artillery and gunfire.Being situated on mountain top artillery might have been huge success.In the valley of mountain there is flat ground and on the other side there being route of rainy river named Kapal Ganga it is not possible to attack it instantly.
On both sides of village’s walls its huge gates can be seen still today.Out of them condition of one is comparatively good this gate was used as main entry point to the village.By entering it and taking raw road towards mountain one could reach the huge gate of fort’s limit. A stone could be seen half buried in the earth while moving ahead on the left side have on it a horse engraved with an umbrella on its back.From moving here onwards the stairs of the gate comes.Right side stairs leads directly towards main gate.On both sides of gate huge platforms are built.It is not easy to decipher one of the stone inscriptions struck on right rostrum.
At the main gate of fort a huge wood gate in half broken condition is present that is closed from inside now.This fort is still under the vicinity of Nath community.That’s why this gate is still safe fort is three storeyed.Its rooms lobby, peepholes, office are very beautiful.No one is living in this palace for centuries, that’s why it has place for bats to live in.In the fort there could be sen ladies sitting room, court and traditional construction. In 2000 a team of 25-30 men from Britain came here for shooting a film named “ The Warrior” from here the team went to Kiradu in Barmer for shoot.The Sovsy limited company of London selected Kot Kasta and Kiradu for shoot.
Quila or Fort of Bhadrajunc
54 Km. away from district headquarter Bhadrajun is settled on Jalore-Jodhpur road.It gets it name from Subhadra and his husband Mahabhart’s brave hero Arjun.Subhadra-Arjun in time lag disrupted to Bhadrajun.It is said that where on the permission of Lord Shri Krishna Arjun lifted Subhadra from Dwarika stayed here on the way.There marriage had also taken place here only.One Brahmin of nearby village conducted their marriage.Arjun gave his conch shell(Shankh) and Subhadra gave her ear ring as gift to Brahmin.That’s why the name this village is sankhvali Near Bhadrajun a small temple of Devi Subhadra is situated known by the name ‘Dhumda Mata’.
Bhadrajun is 93 Km . away from Jodhpur and during Riyasat time it’s landlord was one among first class 10 landlords of Jodhpur state.These 10 landlord were high in rank, position and respect from all other landlords.There were total 1891 landlords in Jodhpur 290 were called Tajimi landlords.Out of these 290 first 10 were known as ‘Riyasat’ and they were of Rathore Dan.The people of their place called them ‘Raja’ That’s why Bhadrajun’s landlord was also called ‘Raja’.The Jagir of Bhadrajun was given by Jodhpur ’s king Sur Sing to Mukund das Rathore in 1652 Vikram Samvat (1596 A.D.).
At 1220 Mheight in the Aravli ranges there on Sundha mountain is temple of goddesses Chamunda Devi a very sacred place for devotees. It is 105 Kmfrom district headquater and 35 Km . from sub divisional Bhinmal. This place lies in Raniwara Teshil in the midest of Malwara to Jaswantpura Road near Dantlawas village. Lacs of tourists from Gujarat and Rajasthan visits here. The environment here is afresh & attractive. Fountains flowing whole year and hotel at the valley made in yellow sandstone of Jaisalmer attracts everyone.Sundha temple is made up of while marble, the pillars reminds the art of Abus’s Delwara temple pillars.
Sevada's Pataleshwar
On the way to Raniwara & Sanchore approximately 125 Km away from district headquarter one big temple of 8th Century A.D. of lord Shiva is situated.It’s minute stone craft is competent enough not only in Rajasthan but also any of good middle ages temple of India .
It is said that approximately 1200 to 1300 years before there was grazing ground outside village for cattle.One day at a definite place milk of one cow drained out automatically. The master of the cow took it casually.But it became routine for 3-4 days.He kept vigil one evening and went astonished on seeing that cow went to that place itself and the milk flowed out of its breasts automatically.He told the instance to his family members and villagers. Senior members of village deliberated on the matter and decided to dig the place.They founded one Shiv ling out of it.
Jagnath Mahadev
Jagnath Mahadev is one of the two temples built by Rudal Devi, situated 20 Km away by road and 35 Km . by newly built paver road from Jalore.It was found underneath a mound some years before when one new temple was already built some distance away. This temple is called Juna Mandir(Old Temple).The ancient temple is the one possibly constructed by Rudal Devi. During Khilji’s & Pathan’s rulers this temple probably went uncared about and got buried under sand.
New Shiva temple was established nearby.>It is also possible that this temple was destroyed by attackers.Whatever might be the reason broken stone inscription in temple complex testifies to the fact that it was built here by Rudal Devi. Repairing of the temple again & again have left many stone & pillar inscriptions destroyed. Only those pillars are safe on whom idols were present thinking it to be sacred. Some pillars are used in construction in such a way that the written part is buried. Luckily one stone inscription of Rudal Devi is still safe from which the original situation is known.
1264 Vikram Samvat’s one stone inscription is fitted in rostrum whose only one half part is readable rest remain buried. It is felt from idols that this inscription is of Rudal Devi but not of the time of establishment and felt that in 1264 Vikaram Samvat or 1207 A .D. Rudal Devi prayed here. The ancient stone pillars of 800-700 years old of immense historical sense. These must be protected before time runs away. They ascertain many important dates.
Mandwala village is 20 Km . away from Jalore district headquarter and 5 Km . from Bishangarh village situated at Samdari-Bhildi railway road.Here at the grave of Surishwar Maharaj one grand and unique temple is newly built on a ship. This temple not only attracts Jains but also other community people. In the month of Marhsrish’s(Krishna Paksha) 6th day Kanti Sagar Suriswar ji Maharaj entered this village, as soon as he entered he was struck with fever. Determining the frequency of his fever he called his favorite disciple Maniprabh sagar and told him that his last time has come. He died the next day on Saptami.The place where Maharaj Sagar Suriswarji was cremated disciple Maniprabh sagar ji built one ship structured like groove and places idol of his guru on to the ground floor.
Jain Pilgrim Bhandavpur
Bhandavpur that was previously a part of Mangalva Gram Panchayat now is itself a gram panchayat and is 65 Km. away from Jalore District headquarter and 2 Km. from Sayla panchayat samiti towards sindhiri Bhinmal road it is situated. Here there is huge Jaina temple 600 years old. The statue of Lord Mahavir Swami is 1200 years old here in this temple. Visitors from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat visits here frequently to see the beauty of Lotus shaped temple where there is few faced idol of Rajendra Suri Ji is established made of white marble.
Ahore's Bawan (52) Jinalaya Jain Temple
20 km. away from District headquarter Jalore on the way to Jalore-Falna is situated Ahore Tehsil Jodhpur is 122 Km . from here and Falna is 55 Km . away. Jalore is the nearest railway station.Ahore is a place of historical importance, religions and faith. From starting rulers here felicitated Jain religion. Present landlord Yashwant Singhji gifted walking stick, tail for whishking flies and palanquin to Shrimad Rajendra Surishwarji Maharaj as respect.
The Bawan Jinalay temple of Godi Parshavnath constructed in white marble was build by Shrimad Rajendra Surishwar Ji in 1936 Vikram Samvat’s Magh Shukla Dashmi.This jain temple is beautified by 52 lords.It is big and heart catching.There are five more temples worth visiting and two rest houses where Jain Saints & Saintess visits frequently.>Dinning facility is commendable but lodging is only of middle class available.In Ahore old Jain literature pandulipis(manuscripts) are being kept in good shape.
Jain Temple Bakra Road
Parshavnath temple near Bakra road railway station is becoming famous for its grandifice and artistic work and is on the very of getting status of Jaina pilgrimage. 30 Km . away from Jalore, 7 Km . from Modra and 15 Km from Bagra it is connected to road directly. This temple was established in 6 Magh Sudhi 2054 Vikram Samvat(Dated 2 Feb.,1998).Every year on Posh Magh Shukla saptami big fair is held here on the birth & nirvana date of Gurudev Rajendra Surishwar Ji. Main temple is built 7 feet up from earth crest where it is the seat of Shri Parshavnath Bhagwan one the top and roof of temple there are big turrets where rounded wheels are engraved everywhere adding to the beauty of the building.It is an strong exempts of modern art facilities of fooding & lodging is quiet commendablely run by the trust Shri Thirtendra Surishwarji mark sangh. Three star facilities equipped Mayur Hotel & resort is only 1 Km . away temple. District’s one and only Air-Strip is 10 away and one could reach there by charter plane. For any information and facility this Telephone No. 02973-51144 of temple’s office is handy.
Kirti Stambh & Nandishwar Deep Tirth Jalore
India famed Nandishwar deep tirth is located in front of Collectorate office of Jalore district Headquarter on the main road. In whole of India only seven temples of Nandishwar Deep are there and it is the biggest of all example of Modern art also. In main temple there are 52 houses of Lord and each god having four faces. In the Brahma region in the few corners are few faced Jain houses. Southern to Nandishwar Deep temple in front of main entrance is 72 feet tall and 5 storeyed tower.From it every corner of the town can be seen.Build in white stone marble in the first & last story of this lower is the statue of Mahaveer Swami established.