Jal Mandir
Jal Mandir inPawapuri
Religion
Affiliation	Jainism
Sect	Śvetāmbara
Deity	Mahavira
Festivals	Diwali Mahavir Janma Kalyanak
Location
Location	Pawapuri,Nalanda, Bihar,India
Location within Bihar
Geographic coordinates	25°05′28″N85°32′19″E / 25.09111°N 85.53861°E /25.09111; 85.53861
Architecture
Creator	KingNandivardhana
Date established	c. 528 BCE or 526 BCE
Temple(s)	1

TheJal Mandir or Water Temple is situated in^[1]Pawapuri (also known asApapapuri which means a town without sins),^[2][3] in the Indian state ofBihar. It is dedicated toMahavira, the 24thTirthankara (religious preacher of Jainism), which marks the place of his cremation. Mahavira attainedNirvana (death) in Pawapuri in 527 BC.^[4][5][6] The temple was originally built by KingNandivardhan, elder brother of Mahavira, within the pond which is filled with red coloured lotus flowers.^[7] It is one of the five main temples in Pawpuri, where the "Charan Paduka" or foot impression of Mahavira is deified.^[5]

The temple, a famous and sacred pilgrimage centre^[8] of Jainism, is located in the holy city of Pawapuri in theNalanda district in theGanga Basin. It is 108 kilometres (67 mi) away fromPatna, the capital city ofBihar which is the nearest airport.Rajgir the nearest convenient railway station is 38 kilometres (24 mi) away,^[5][6][9] and 8 miles (13 km) fromBiharsharif city in the subdivision of the same name. It is at the end of a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) branch road from the Patna-Ranchi road or NH 20.^[7][3]

According to the legend,Mahavira, the 24thTirthankara attainedNirvana (died) at Pavapuri.^[10] The place of his cremation became a pilgrimage centre when a large number of pilgrims took out a very large amount of soil from the site, which was considered as sacred as ashes of Mahavira, and thus created a huge pit which got filled up with water and became a pond. To commemorate the place of hisnirvana a temple was built within the tank.^{[4][11][5][6][12]}

Mahavira was a prince of the Magadha Kingdom then known as "Madyama Pawa" or "Apawapuri",^[5] and became anascetic at the age of 30. During one of the religious observances, called thechaturmas observed by Jains for four months during the rainy season starting from the beginning of the month ofĀṣārh (22 June to 22 July) and ending in the month ofKartik (October/November), the Jain monks and nuns remain at one holy place and preach the religious teachings of Jainism to the local people. Mahavira also observed this practice and during this period his one such stay was at Pawapuri. On theDipawali night on the 15th day of the month of Kartik he breathed his last when he was 72 years old. While the place of hisNirvana is commemorated by a temple called the "Gaon Mandir" meaning "village temple" (also called "Thal Mandir"), the location where he attainedNirvana, the temple built within a tank is known as the Jal Mandir.^[1] There is also another temple here dedicated to Mahavira called "Samosharan" where a statue of Mahavira delivering his last sermon is deified; the temple is circular in shape with beehive shape design.^[5]

Jal Mandir, meaning a "temple in water",^[7] is built in white marble within the water tank; the tank measures 84 bigha (One bigha is 5 acres, area is 16.8 acres).^[1] The water surface of the lake is covered with lotuses. This architecturally elegant temple in the form of a "Vimana" or chariot has the footprint of Mahavira for worship. A 600-foot-long (180 m) bridge built in stone connects the temple with the bank of the water tank.^[5] The temple shines bright and sublime during a moonlit night. The pond has many species of fish which are fed by the priests and devotees.^[13]

On the occasion of Diwali, devotees make a special pilgrimage to the shrine to commemorate thenirvana of Mahavira.^[14]

On 2500th Anniversary of Bhagwan Mahavira's attainment ofNirvana, theIndia Post released postal stamp depicting Jal Mandir.

• 
  Main temple
• 
  Pond
• 
  Artwork in the premises
• 
  Way to Temple
• 
  Replica of Pavapuri temple at Pansara.
• 
  The "Charan Paduka" or foot impression of Mahavira
• 
  Entry Gate to the way

Wikimedia Commons has media related toJal Mandir, Pawapuri.

• Diwali (Jainism)

• Abraham, George (2020).Lanterns on the Lanes: Lit for Life.Notion Press.ISBN 9781648996597.
• Davidson, Linda Kay; Gitlitz, David M. (2002).Pilgrimage: From the Ganges to Graceland, An Encyclopedia. Vol. 2.Bloomsbury Publishing.ISBN 9781576075432.
• Dundas, Paul (2002) [1992].The Jains (Second ed.).Routledge.ISBN 978-0-415-26605-5.
• Choudhury, Pranab Chandra Roy (1956).Jainism in Bihar. I.R. Choudhury.
• O'Malley, L.S.S. (1924).Bihar And Orissa District Gazetteers Patna. Concept Publishing Company.ISBN 9788172681210.
• Prasad, Jai Ram (1995).Community Strucure [sic] and Political Development: A Case Study of Pyarepur Village. Mittal Publications.ISBN 978-81-7099-601-9.
• Singh, B. N. (1974).Trade and industrial markets of Bihar. Arvind Publications.
• Suriji, Acharya Gunaratna (16 March 2013).A Visit to Shatrunjaya: Journey to the holiest pilgrimage of Jainism. Multy Graphics.ISBN 978-81-926607-0-7.

• Jain pilgrimage sites
• Tourist attractions in Nalanda district
• 6th-century BC Jain temples

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