Pilgrim Jainism Astapada Hastinapur India 27.08.2014

http://www.sukhiparivar.com/wwd/ashtapad.html

Ashtapad : Bhagavan Rishabhdev along with Ten thousand other ascetics began the journey to Ashtapad, the holymountain, from the city of Hastinapur which has made Hastinapur a divine pilgrimage. Hence, Hastinapur was rightly chosen as the place for the construction of a Huge Ashtapad Temple. Under the inspiration of Acharya Inderdin Surishwar Ji & Acharya Vijay Vasant Surishwar Ji, construction is taking place at Hastinapur on this incredible architecture for the last 5 years. Actually, Shri Asthapad Maha Tirth (place of worship) is one of the major Jain Tirths and is situated up in tranquil heights of snow-covered Himalayas. It is 168 miles north of Badrinath and about 5 to 7 miles away from Mansarovar on the way to Mount Kailash. Thousands of years ago Shri Adinath Bhagwan, first of 24 tirthankars, attained salvation at this place. After his salvation his son king Bharat made a palace (known as “Sinh-Nishadha”) of real gemstones with 24 idols of Jain tirthankars on Ashtapad Mountain in his memory. Ashtapad derived its name from the fact that it has eight steps to go up the mountain (“Ashta” means eight and “pad” means steps in Sanskrit). Other names for the tirth are Ratnamay (made of gemstones) Rajatadri and Sfatikachal (the crystal palace). The whole temple is made of carved marbles and the surrounding mountains are made up of red stones. The temple structure has a base circumference of 160 ft and a height of 151 ft. The structure resembles an eight stepped mountain. On all the four sides the Ashtapad will be surrounded by 2-4-8-10 Jinbimb which will represent the all 24 Tirthankar. At the bottom of the Asthapad, Samosaran is being made where four 51ft long statues of Adinath Bhagvan will be established. The Samosaran will also have the statues of whole family of Bhagvan Rishabhdev including his parents, two daughters, Bhratchakravarti and 99 sons. As written in the Shastras the first three steps will be decorated with the statues of 501 ascetics each. This temple structure is being made with an cost of around Rs. 25 crores. It is now open for public.