Divine Manas Mandir Mahuli Road, Shahapur, Shahapur, Thane

The ‘Shatrunjay Tirthdham Bhuvanbhanu Manas Mandir’ is situated in the scenic surroundings of Mahuli Fort in Shahapur. Lord Adinath, the Jain Tirthankara, is the presiding deity of this temple. Located on a vast expanse atop a small hill, this temple is a beautiful confluence of modern and traditional architecture. It is a major attraction not only for the local residents but also for countless devotees and religious tourists from Maharashtra and Gujarat. Devotees firmly believe that the Kshetrapal deity here manifests in the form of a serpent to grant darshan to the faithful. Due to the belief that this deity fulfills prayers, a large number of devotees visit to seek its blessings.

Lord Adinath is the first of the 24 Tirthankaras in Jainism. He is also known by the names Vrishabhanath or Rishabhanath. He was born in Ayodhya. It is said that he guided the society of that era by teaching them the six professions: Asi (weaponry), Masi (writing), Krishi (agriculture), Vidya (knowledge), Shilpa (crafts), and Vanijya (commerce). The Chakravarti emperor Bharat, from whom the land of India derives its name ‘Bharat’, and the valiant Bahubali were his sons. Vayu, Brahmanda, Agni, Vishnu, Markandeya, Kurma, Linga, Varaha, Skanda

Furthermore, Adinatha is also mentioned in the Vedic Puranas, such as the Bhagavata. There, he is referred to as Paramahansa, Avadhuta, and Yogi Jatadhari. At the Manas Mandir in Shahapur, there are temples and idols of various Tirthankaras, including Lord Adinatha. In this sense, the Manas Mandir site is a temple complex. The history of this temple is that it was built under the inspiration of Acharya Bhuvanbhanusuriswar Maharaj. Acharya Bhuvanbhanusuriswar Maharaj was a renowned religious leader of the Shwetambar Jain community. Born in Ahmedabad on 19 April 1911, the Acharya took Diksha at the age of 23. He received the title of Acharya in 1972. Known as a visionary religious leader, the Acharya passed away in Ahmedabad on 19 April 1993 at the age of 82. It was his wish that there should be a Jain pilgrimage site in Maharashtra, near Mumbai, similar to Palitana.

The Palitana Jain Tirth, situated on the Shatrunjaya mountain in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, is an extremely sacred place for followers of the Jain religion. There are more than ๙०० Jain temples located here on a high hill. These temples are known as ‘Tunk’. The temple of Tirthankara Bhagwan Adinath is situated at the highest point here. According to Jain religious beliefs, these temples are the abodes of the Divine. It is believed that the deities come here to rest during the night. Therefore, no one, including the priests, is permitted to stay here at night. This Manas Mandir has been constructed on the lines of this sacred Palitana Tirtha. Jainacharya Vijay Hemratnasuriswar Maharaj has made a significant contribution to the construction of this temple.

Vijay Hemratnasuriswar Maharaj, born on 16 April 1951 in the village of Bhalak in the Mehsana district of Gujarat, was originally named Manubhai Tarachandbhai Patwa. Acharya Bhuvanbhanusuriswar Maharaj was his mentor and provider of knowledge. In 1996, Hemratnasuriswar Maharaj attained the position of Acharya. He founded the ‘Alert Group’ for Jain youth. He is renowned as the ‘Emperor of Youth Hearts’ (Yuva Hriday Samrat). He himself selected this site on the hill in Shahapur, and it was through his efforts that this temple complex was realized. Since the Palitana Tirth is situated on the Shatrunjaya mountain, the temple here is also referred to as Shatrunjaya Tirthdham.

Situated on a vast expanse of land, this temple is enclosed by a large perimeter wall on all four sides. The grandeur of the temple can be envisioned right from the entrance gate. This entrance, featuring a wide main passage and two side passages, is adorned with three large, shrine-like niches on its roof, in which small idols of Tirthankaras are enshrined. Upon entering the premises, which are filled with large trees, artistically landscaped gardens, and fountains, one finds a three-story Bhakta Niwas (pilgrim lodging) building on the left. In front of it lies a courtyard resembling a ground, paved with paver blocks. To the right is the beautiful garden known as Manas Vatika. Further ahead, at a considerable distance, stands the main temple. A hallmark of Jain temples is the use of marble, featuring carved pillars, Makara-toranas (archways), stone chhatris (canopies), intricate carvings, exquisite sculptures of gatekeepers and attendants, as well as majestic elephants symbolizing prosperity. Furthermore, the temples are distinguished by the dome-shaped structures over the Sabhamandapa (assembly hall) and the Shikhara (spires) built in the Nagara architectural style over the Garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum). All the temples here are enriched with these features. Since this temple complex is built on a high hill, spacious staircases have been constructed at various places to facilitate ascent.

There is a wide path with many steps leading towards the main temple. On both sides of these steps are small shrines (Devakulikas). These shrines house the idols of various Parivara Devatas (attendant deities). The temple of Lord Adinath is built upon an extremely long and wide Jagati (platform). This white marble temple features three Mukhamandapas (front halls) supported by intricately carved pillars. An idol of Lord Ganesha is enshrined in a niche on the ceiling of the main Mukhamandapa. The Sabhamandapa (assembly hall) of the temple has three entrances: one main and two subsidiary. Various religious symbols are carved onto the doorposts of these three entrances, and beautiful sculptures of Dvarapalas (gatekeepers) and attendants are featured at the base. The main entrance located in the center is wide and is known as the ‘Mokshadwar – Shringarchauki’. The entrance to its left is named ‘Punyadwar’, while the entrance to the right is named ‘Dharmadwar’. The assembly hall (Sabhamandap) of the temple is literally magnificent. Above it stands a dome with a width of 76 feet. Its unique feature is that it has no pillars. This dome features beautiful carvings, and a crystal chandelier hangs from its center. This assembly hall is regarded as an excellent example of architecture. In the various golden niches along the walls of the assembly hall, idols of Jain Tirthankaras as well as attendant deities are enshrined. Another attraction in the assembly hall is the sculpture of an elephant. Jain deities are seated in the howdah atop this elephant. In the sanctum sanctorum (Garbhagriha) of the temple, a tall marble idol of Lord Parshvanatha in the Padmasana posture is consecrated on a high altar.

Apart from the main temple, there is also a temple of Moolnayak Shantinath Bhagwan and a Samavasaran temple here. Another place of deep faith for the countless devotees visiting Manas Mandir is the temple of Bhagwan Parshvanath and Kshetrapaldada. Kshetrapal is a folk deity, a form of Bhairava. In this temple, the idol of Kshetrapal is enshrined on a high altar carved with sculptures of serpents and peacocks. Coiled serpent figures are also carved onto the pillars of the idol’s archway. The idol of Kshetrapal is made of black stone. A seven-hooded serpent king forms a canopy over this idol. There are green serpents on both sides of the idol, and it is seated upon its vehicle, the dog. Kshetrapal is considered a remover of obstacles. Behind this temple stands a large, ancient banyan tree. Devotees who have made vows to Kshetrapal hang coconuts wrapped in red cotton cloth from the aerial roots of this banyan tree. The lower part of this tree has turned red due to these coconuts. It is the firm belief of devotees that the deity Kshetrapal often manifests here in the form of a serpent.

Similarly, within the premises of Manas Mandir, there is also the Guru Mandir of Acharya Bhuvanbhanusuriswar Maharaj. The seated idol of Bhuvanbhanusuriswar Maharaj is enshrined within a sanctum sanctorum resembling an ornate archway, erected in the center of a pavilion that is open on all four sides. Likewise, the Samadhi Sthal (memorial) of Vijay Hemratnasuriswar Maharaj is also located here. He passed away at the age of 58 in Nadiad on 30 April 2009. Following this, his last rites were performed at this very spot.

In this temple complex, there are arrangements for rest and a dining hall for devotees. There is also a large Goshala (cow shelter) here. Festivals such as Paryushan Parva, Mahavir Jayanti, and Diwali are celebrated in the temple with great devotion.

Sacred History & Spiritual Significance

This sacred temple stands as a testament to deep spiritual devotion, ancient architectural grandeur, and rich local cultural traditions.

Temple Sanctum & Architecture

The sanctum sanctorum houses the divine idol consecrated according to ancient Vedic traditions, surrounded by serene courtyards and traditional temple architecture.

Sacred Darshan Gallery