HASTINAPUR
Main Deity-Idol of Bhagawan Shantinatha in the Padmasana posture.
History-Called by the names Gajpur, Nagpur, Kunjarpur, Shantinagar, Brahmasthal and Asandvat in the history Hastinapur has a history that dates back to the times of Bhagawan Adinatha. It is said that after relinquishing his throne Bhagawan Adinatha entered the life of an ascetic at this place.
Bhattaraka Jinchandra installed the idol of Mulnayak Bhagwan Shantinath in 1548. On the left, the idol of Bhagwan Arnath and on the right the idol of Bhagwan Kunthunath. Hastinapur, the - legendary capital of the Mahabharata epic outside of which the great battle between the Pandavas and the Kurauvas is thought to have been fought - now just a village about a hundred kilometers north-east of Delhi - is a major place of pilgrimage for both Shvetambaras and Digambars. It was here, according to tradition, that Rishablia, the former king of Ayodhya, after he had relinquished his kingdom in favour of his two sons Bharata and Bahubali and accepted the life of a homeless ascetic, was offered acceptable food in an acceptable manner for the first time. The fortunate donor was a prince of Hastinapur who happened to know the proper way of giving food to a Jaina monk. The nourishment he offered was sugar-cane juice. Once a year, on the third day of the bright fortnight of the month Vaishaka (May/June), thousands of Jaina pilgrims from all over India gather at Hastinapur to commemorate this event. Wars, floods and vandalism have left nothing standing of ancient Hastinapur. The Ganges, on whose western bank this famous city once stood, has in the course of many centuries found a new bed some distance to the east. During excavations, soon after Independence, a big statue of a standing Shantinath was found which was dated at 1 176. The present temples are of a much later date. Hastinapur is said to be the birthplace of the Tirthankaras Shantinath, Kunthunath and Aranatha; their footprints can be seen on a small hill nearby.
The ancient history of this place belongs to the times of Bhagawan Adishvar. ‘Gajpur’, Nagpur’, ‘Kunjarpur’, ‘Shantinagar’, ‘Brahmasthal’, ‘Asandvat’ etc. are mentioned as ancient names of this place. Shreyansakumar, the younger brother of Somaysh broke the fast (celebrated Parna) of Bhagawan Adinath here. There is a mention that in memory of the Parna, Shreyansakumar built a stupa and installed the foot - idols of Bhagawan Adinath. All the four Kalyanakas of Bhagawan Shantinath, Kunthunath, Arnath sulsequae to Bhagawan Adinath were celebrated here. There are mentions that stupas were built here. All these temples and stupas are not there today, But many ancient remains are found from the subterranean ground and they, remained of their antiquity. On the tenth day of the bright half of the mouth of Magasar in the year 2021 the Vikram era, the last renovation of this Svetambar temple was accomplished and the installation was celebrated. This was the land of construction of samovasaran of Bhagawan Mallinath. This was the capital of the Kauravas and the Pandvas in the times of the Mahabharata. This was the birthplace of six of the twelve Chakravartis beginning with Bharat - Chakravarty. This is also the birthplace of Parashuram of the times of the Ramayana words fail to describe the grandeur of this place which is made holy by the birth, the Kalyanakas and touch of feet of great men. According to the Digambar sect, the great tradition of Rakshahandhan or Shravani Poonam started here. Thus according to the Jain traditions and history, many Tirthtankars, Chakravartis, Great Sadhus, the Omniscient souls, ascetics, Shravakas and Shravikas are associated with to this ancient land. Jain Agams, life stories, story sutra scriptures and other Jain works condition reference and indications of Hastinapur. On the fifteenth day of the bright half of the mouth of Kartak and on the third day of the bright half of the month of Vaishakh, Splendid after is held here every year. The Parna ceremony of Varistapa has a special significance here. People come here from far, far away to celebrate the Parma ceremony with sugarcane juice. The ancient idols in these temples are really spectacular. The archaeological department has special attractions towards this ancient place. Since the times of the Mahabharata war, this place is controversial and very important. The remains found here determine its antiquity. At present, the archaeological department of the Govt. of India, is making research here. The plan of building a new city of Hastinapur has made this place, a center attraction.
Jambudwipa-With the completion of the Jambu-dvipa shrine in 1985, Hastinapur has become a favorite center for studying Jaina cosmology and cosmography, an extremely difficult subject to study, not only for Westerners. The inspiration for "constructing, on scale as far as possible, a model of Jambu-dvipa according to the details available in Jaina scriptures" came not from a mathematical minded, male scholar but from the lady ascetic Aryika Jnanmati, a Digambar nun. Jambu-dvipa has a diameter of 1 00,000 yojanas (one yojana = 8/9 miles or c. 13.5 km). It comprises seven islands of which only the inner two plus one half of the third one is fit for humans and five-sensed animals. In the middle stands Mount Sumeru or Meru (there are fourteen more names for it) with a jambu tree on top. Jambu means rose apple; thus 'Jambu-dvipa may be translated into 'Continent of the Rose- apple tree'. Jambu-dvipa is but the innermost sector of the Jaina universe, and a relatively tiny part of it.
Guidance-Hastinapur is situated at a distance of 37 kilometers from Meerut and 120 Kms from Delhi. The boarding and lodging facilities are also available at this place.