Alagramam Jain Temple is a Jain

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

located in Alagramam, in the Indian state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

. The first

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (; ) is a saviour and supreme preacher of the ''Dharma (Jainism), dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a ''Tirtha (Jainism), tirtha'', a fordable passage across ''Saṃsā ...

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

Rishabhanatha Rishabhanatha (Devanagari: ऋषभनाथ), also Rishabhadeva (Devanagari: ऋषभदेव, ), Rishabha (Devanagari: ऋषभ, ) or Ikshvaku (Devanagari: इक्ष्वाकु, ''Ikṣvāku''), is the first (Supreme preacher) ...

, is the ''

Moolavar Mulavar () or Mula-murti is a Sanskrit-Tamil term referring to the main deity, or a murti (cult image) in a Hindu temple. Location The central deity, ''mulavar'', is located near the centre of temples, than the images that surround them, and are ...

'' (temple deity) who is worshipped there. ''

Srivari Brahmotsavam Sri Venkateswara Swami Vari Brahmotsavam or Srivari Brahmotsavam is the most significant annual fête celebrated at the Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala-Tirupati, Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, India. which falls between the Telugu calendar ...

'' ceremonial feast is conducted every year.

History

The Alagramam Jain Temple was built in the 17th century. Before its construction, villagers had to travel to Keezh Idayalam Jain Temple or Avani Avittam Jain Temple for ritual wearing of the ''Poonool'' (also known as ''

upanayana ''Upanayana'' () is a Hindu educational sacrament, one of the traditional saṃskāras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor, such as a ''guru'' or ''acharya'', and an individual's initiation into a school in ...

''). During the 19th century, on the auspicious day of '' Avani Avittam'', the local Jain community relocated a small Parshvanatha idol from the ''Keezh Idayalam'' Temple to Alagramam and built a temple dedicated to its worship. A separate temple was built for Sri Dharma Devi Amman (

Kushmandi Kushmandi is a community development block that forms an administrative division in Gangarampur subdivision of Dakshin Dinajpur district in the Indian state of West Bengal. History Dinajpur district was constituted in 1786. In 1947, the Radcliffe ...

), and for Sri Brahma Devar'','' a separate ''Panduga Silai Mandabam'' was constructed. The Temple was built in phases.

Functions

Mahotsavam (Brahmotsavam) from 1894

The annual fair (or Brahmotsavam) has been conducted in the temple since 1894 to honor Parshvanatha. The fair has day and night rituals for ten days. It is conducted during the Ashtaniyama Period, starting from ''Saptami Tithi'' and ending in ''Prathama Tithi''. This is around June or July in the western calendar. The 1st day is marked by a Flag Hoisting Ceremony. In the morning, the Darbar flag is hoisted, and at night the main flag, Tvajarohanam, with an image of Sarvana Yaksha inscribed on it, is hoisted. On the 2nd day, Surya (Sun) Vahanam

Utsav ''Utsav'' (Hindi: उत्सव; English: Festival) is a 1984 Hindi erotic drama film, produced by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Girish Karnad. The film is based on play '' Mrichakatika'' ('' The Little Clay Cart'') by Śūdraka. It was f ...

is performed in the morning, and at night, Chandira (Moon) Vahanam Utsav is performed. On the 3rd day, in the morning and at night, Devendhiran Vahanam (Head of all Navagrahas) Utsav is performed. On the 4th day, in the morning and at night, a Nine-Headed Naga (Snake) Vahanam Utsav is performed. On the 5th day, Hamsa (Swan) Vahanam Utsav is performed in the morning and at night. On the 6th day,

Yaanai ''Yaanai'' () is a 2022 Indian Tamil-language action drama film directed by Hari and produced by Vedikkaranpatti S. Sakthivel under the banner of Drumsticks Productions. The film stars Arun Vijay, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Ramachandra Raju, Samu ...

(White Elephant) Vahanam Utsav is performed in the morning and at night. On the 7th day, Vimanam Vahanam (God's Flight) Utsav is also performed in the morning and at night. On the 8th day, Pallakku Utsav is performed in the morning and at night, Gudirai (Horse) Vahanam Utsav is performed. On the 9th day, both during the morning and at night, Simmha (Lion) Vahanam Utsav is performed. On the 10th day, in the morning, Mahabhishekam Utsav is held and at night,

Dhvaja Dhvaja (; ) is the Sanskrit term for a banner or a flag. Flags are featured in the iconography, mythology, and architecture of Indian religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. They are one of the ashtamangala, the eight auspicious embl ...

Avarohanam (Flag Unhoisting) is performed.

Pancha Kalyana Mahotsavam

The Pancha Kalyana Mahotsavam was conducted once every 12 years in the Alagramam Jain Temple. It was conducted in 1972, 1994, 2007 and 2023. Alagramam Amman

Other

Morning worshippers perform Abhishekam daily and conduct Ashtamanagala pujas every night. Special pujas and Vithanam also take place several times throughout the year.

Gallery

File:Alagramam4.jpg, Naggha Vahanam File:Alagramam8.jpg, Pallakku File:Alagramam21.jpg, Lion Vahanam in Night File:Alagramam5.jpg, Abhishek File:Alagramam3.jpg, Lord Adhinath In Maha Abhisheagam

External links

* *

References

{{Reflist Jainism in India