The Nagarparkar Jain Temples are a group of 14 abandoned Jain temples located in and around the town of Nagarparkar taluka of Tharparkar, Sindh province of Pakistan. Nagarparkar has great historical significance, boasting famous sites of the Bodhesar mosque, fortresses, and abandoned Jain temples. Besides abandoned Jain temples, there is a mosque that has been heavily influenced by the architectural style of the Jain temples.
These temples were built between the 12th and 15th centuries in the surrounding hills of the town, around the same time as the Dilwara temple was constructed in Rajasthan, India. it was the time when Jain architectural expression was at its zenith.
Frescoes at the Gori Temple, the largest temple, are considered the oldest Jain frescoes still in existence anywhere in the northern regions of the Indian subcontinent. In 2016 the entire area was designated Nagarparkar Cultural Landscape. The temples are in line to get UNESCO World Heritage status.
Nagarparkar lies in between the marshes and salt flats of the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, and the dry grounds of sand dunes and nearby pink-granite-rich Karoonjhar mountains. Nagarparkar lies close to the Gujarat border abutting the Arabian Sea. Until the 15th-century Nagarparkar town built on raised and perennially dry land, was a thriving business center due to close proximity to the Arabian sea and a major center of Jainism, as the wealthy local Jain community had settled in large numbers. Back then it was called the Jain pilgrimage center of Sardhara, with Jain ascetics establishing themselves in the Karoonjhar Mountains.
Nagarparkar in 1650 was described as the “most glorious of all regions of India”. Jain influence in the region began to decline due to shifting in the Arabian Sea away from Nagarparkar as silt from the Indus River clogged the Rann of Kutch.
This resulted in large-scale migration of the local Jain population in the early 19th century, and those who remained left following the Partition of India in 1947. The temples continue to be maintained by the sizable Hindu community of the area.
The Jain population that migrated from Nagarparkar built several new temples in Rajasthan. These temples trace their heritage back to the old temples of Nagarparkar. The Jain temples are popular tourist attractions and heritage sites and attract a large number of tourists, especially those who are interested in temple architecture of the bygone eras. The recent construction of roadways has resulted in a surge in the number of tourists, despite the lack of adequate protection at the site.
The Nagarparkar Jain temples are located in a remote location. The best way to reach the temples is by car via road from Islamkot south towards the Indian border. There are no local roads, though the area is in relatively good condition.
Gori Temple
The largest and the most well-known temple, Gori Temple built on a high platform was completed around 1375-1376 in a Gujarati style. It features 3 mandaps and 52 Islamic-style domes. The massive temple measuring 125 feet by 60 feet, is built of white marble. The interiors of the temple feature finely carved marble pillars. The temple is known for its frescos which are considered the oldest Jain frescoes in existence in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.
The canopy at the temple entrance is decorated with paintings that represent Jain mythology. 24 small shrines are present throughout the temple, which are representations of the 24 Tirthankaras of Jainism. Due to the temple, the area came to be known as Goripur.
As a celebrated Jain tirtha, the temple is notable for its image of Parasnath.
An account of the building of the temple is in “Gaudi Parshvanath Stavan” by Pritivimala, composed in Samvat 1650, and “Shri Gaudi Parshvanath Stavan” written by Nemavijaya. As per Muni Darshanvijaya, the beautiful white main image/idol, which the temple is called Gori or white temple was installed by Seth Godidas of Jhinjhuvad and was consecrated by Acharya Hemachandra at Patan. It was brought to Patan and was buried underground for safekeeping during a period of disturbance. It was rediscovered in 1375-76 and was stored in the stable of the local ruler.
According to legends, 800 years ago a merchant named Manga Oswal from Nagarparkar had gone to Pattan. He had a dream that an idol is buried under the house of a local Muslim. The night he bought the idol, he had another dream, as per which he placed the image on a cart and moved forward without looking back. The cart broke down near Nagarparkar, where Oswal fell asleep.
In his next dream that night, he learned that underneath him lay a huge marble treasure. As per their dream, he was instructed to recruit craftsmen to build a fine temple to worship the idol, which was bestowed with the name Gori. The temple building was started by an architect from Sirohi, Rajasthan; while the Shikhar of the temple was completed by his son. The image was formally reconsecrated by Acharya Merutunga Suri of Anchala Gachchha, thus establishing the Gori Parshvanth Tirth and the temple as a place of pilgrimage for Jains from afar. The idol/image is said to have disappeared in 1835. The temple was damaged by British troops who tried to capture a Sodha chief who had led a local rebellion.
Nagarparkar Bazaar Temple
The Nagarparkar Bazaar Temple was built in the main bazaar of Nagarparkar town. The temple is known for its intricately carved sculptures and paintings. The structure of the temple, including its shikhara and the Torana gateway, is completely intact. It was in use until the independence of Pakistan in 1947, and perhaps for some years even after that.
Bhodesar Temples
The Bhodesar Temples at the base of the Karoonjhar Mountains feature ruins of three Jain temples. Bhodesar, 4 miles from Nagarparkar was the region’s capital during Sodha’s rule. Once abandoned two of the three temples were used as cattle sheds, while the third was noted in 1897 to be in disrepair. An ancient water tank, known as Bhodesar Talao, still exists.
The oldest temple was built even before the Gori temple, in the classical style with stones without any mortar, around the 9th century by a Jain woman named Poni Daharo. Built on a high platform, It has beautifully carved huge stone columns and other structural elements. Parts of the building had been dismantled by the locals who used the bricks to construct their homes. The other two Jain temples are said to have been built in 1375 CE and 1449 with Redstone and are known for their fine carvings and corbelled domes.
Viravah Jain Temples
Viravah Jain Temples is home to abandoned, but well-preserved temples. The Viravah Temples are 3 temples located near the town of Viravah, about 15 miles north of Nagarparkar, and were founded in 456 by Jeso ParmÄra.
The site is near the ruins of the ancient seaport of Parinagar on the edge of the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat.
One of the temples made of white marble was in use even during the late British era and is well-preserved. Another temple had a block of finely carved marble which was transferred to the Karachi Museum during the British era. The third ruined temple has 26 small domes surrounding a large central dome measuring 18 feet in diameter. The central dome features fine stone tracing It contains carved stone pillars with carved capitals. During the construction of a nearby road a few years back, construction workers accidentally discovered numerous Jain statues. Some of these were placed by locals in the abandoned temples, while others were taken to the museum in Umerkot.
Bhodesar Mosque
The Bhodesar Mosque was heavily influenced by Jain architectural styles. Located 5 km northwest of Nagarparkar town, and by the side of the talao or pond, the white marble mosque of Bhodesar was built in 1505 by Sultan Mahmud Begada of Gujarat. The mosque features a central dome very similar to domes found on the nearby Jain temples, resting upon a square-shaped edifice measuring 9.2 meters on each side. The pillars of the mosque also reflect similar to Jain architecture, while decorative elements along the roofline were also inspired by Jain temples.
Conservation
The temples and mosques are protected by Antiquities Act 1968, which was replaced by the Antiquities Act 1975. The entire Nagarparkar site is managed by the Director General of Archaeology and Museums. The Endowment Fund Trust for Preservation of the Heritage of Sindh established in 2008 has undertaken restoration works at the site using private funding. The landscape was submitted by the Pakistani government in 2016 on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2016. A lack of an adequate road system in the area had contributed to the site’s state of good preservation, though in 2009, satellite imagery was employed to document the site, and to help devise a plan to manage tourism.
