Kumbhoj

Kumbhoj
28 feet Bahubali statue, Kumbhoj
Religion
Affiliation	Secular
Festivals	Mahavir Jayanti, Dasara, Diwali, Eid, Christmas
Governing body	Grampanchayat, Kumbhoj
Location
Shown within Maharashtra
Geographic coordinates	16°49′17.9″N 74°26′41.5″E
Architecture
Date established	1156 AD
Temple(s)	14

Kumbhoj (pronounced as kum'bho'j) is the name of an ancient town located in Kolhapur district in Maharashtra. The town is about eight kilometers from Hatkanangale, about twenty seven kilometers from Kolhapur and currently, also is the Taluka or Tehsil Headquarters.^{[citation needed]} The famous Jain Tirtha (pilgrim place) known as Bahubali, is just two kilometers away from the Kumbhoj city.

As the name itself suggests, Kumbhoj seems to be connected with well-known ancient term Kamboja of Sanskrit/Pali literature.

Alternative name of Kumbhoj is Kumboj (Kamboj). The former name is apparently free from Iranian or Paisaci influence since Maharashtra location was far removed from the north-west division of ancient India. Kamboj is the standard name found in numerous ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts.

Padma Vibhushan Dr. Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil, a renowned social worker and philanthropist was born at Kumbhoj.

Bahubali at Kumbhoj is identical to the Bahubali of Shravanabelagola known as Gomateshwar to the south in Karnataka.

History

During the second century BCE, a section of Kambojas from Central India had joined the great tribal movement to Central Asia. One section of those Kambojas appears to have given their name to this coastal town of southwest India. There is said to be a microscopic Jain community, predominantly agrarian, called Kambhoj living near Nanded in Maharashtra.^{[citation needed]}

Kumbhoj was very ancient village where Devi Shakambari has visited. There is a temple of Devi Shakambari which has close relation from Banashankari near Badami.

There is a reference to sage Kumbhoja (q.v.) who finds reference in southern Indian recensions of Ramayana. He seems to have lived somewhere on the banks of river Godavari, in southwest India during Ramayana times. Seems like sage Kambhoja originally belonged to northwest and had migrated to south of Vindhya on river Godawri.^{[citation needed]}

The Shakambari Madir needs cultivation through Archaeological Survey of India.

Kumbhoj is nowadays famous for the agriculture land where sugar cane farming is popular.

Jain Temple

Main Entrance of the Temple

In 1156 AD, a 6 feet tall idol of lord Bahubali was installed here.^[1] Many Jain saints have visited this place including Shri Bahubali Maharaj, Shri Prabhachandraji, Shri Kamlakarji, Shri 108 Shanti Sagarji.^[2] The temple also has a dharamshala equipped with all modern facilities ^[3] This Tirth has small scale replicas of Gajpantha, Taranga, Mangi-Tungi, Sonagiri and Pavagiri on left and Kailash Parvat, Shikharji and Girnarji on right side. Jal Mandir, Ratnatraya temple, Shantinath Temple, Chandaprabhu Temple, Adinath Temple and Samavsharan Mandir are also built near main temple.^[4][5]

Bahubali monolith

A monolithic statue of Bahubali in kayotsarga posture was installed in 1963. The statue is situated on about 50 steps up and 8.5 m (28 feet) in high at Kumbhoj, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. The famous Jain Tirtha (pilgrim place) known as Bahubali, is just two kilometers away from the Kumbhoj village. Bahubali at Kumbhoj is identical to the Bahubali of Shravanabelagola known as Gomateshwar to the south in Karnataka^[6]

Mahamastakabhishek

Mahamastakabhisheka (Maha-mastak-abhishek = Grand religious ablution from head) happens in every 12 years. This pious event runs for continuous 7 days with witnessing thousands of pilgrims across the country.

Bahubali Statue during Mahamastakabhishek

Transportation

Sangli Railway Station, located 25 km from Kumbhoj, is a preferred disembarking point for visitors traveling to Kumbhoj, especially those who wish to visit the various Jain temples in Sangli. This station is well-connected by express trains to major Indian cities including Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Goa, Bangalore, Agra, Bhopal, Mysore, Hubli, Kochi, Mangalore, Gandhidham, Pondicherry, and Nagpur. Travel from Sangli to Kumbhoj is a short 30-minute journey, with rickshaws, cars, and buses readily available for hire..

Miraj Just 27 km from Kumbhoj. Miraj Junction is a vital hub in western India, featuring connections via four railway lines. It offers services from several express and superfast trains, including Karnataka Sampark Kranti, Chandigarh Sampark Kranti, Goa, Mumbai Hubli, Yesvantpur Miraj, Pondicherry, Tirunelveli, Suvarnajayanti, Chalukya, Shravati, Bangalore Jodhpur, Bangalore Ajmer, Bangalore Gandhidham, Mahalaxmi, Sahyadri, Koyna, Rani Chenamma, Haripriya, Miraj Hubli, Kolhapur Hyderabad, Kolhapur Solapur, Maharashtra, and Deekshabhoomi Express trains. Private cars and taxis can be hired at Miraj station for a 30-minute ride to Kumbhoj. For travelers, vegetarian Jain meals are available at Miraj Junction courtesy of the local Jain Temple.

Located just 4 km from Kumbhoj, Hatkanangle Station is another convenient stop, especially for trains traveling towards Kolhapur on the Pune-Miraj-Hubli mainline.

Bus Travel: Buses from Mumbai or Bangalore are also an option for reaching Kumbhoj. Additionally, the Maharashtra State Road Transport (ST-Bus) operates regular services from Kolhapur and Sangli to Kumbhoj, offering another reliable mode of travel for visitors.

Religious organizations

Main article: Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha

The Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha is a religious and social service organization of the Jains of South India. The organization is headquartered at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.^[7] The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India.^[8][9] The organization mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Goa.

See also

• Jainism in Maharashtra
• Jainism in Mumbai
• Jainism in North Karnataka
• Jainism in Karnataka
• Acharya Shantisagar
• Acharya Vidyasagar

References

1. http://jain.org.in/tirth-Kumboj%20Bahubali^{[permanent dead link‍]}, Maharashtra.html
2. "Kumbhoj Bahubali, Jain Shwetambar Temple, Jahaj Mandir".
3. https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/treasures/temple/bahubali-teerthakhstra-kumbhoj ^{[dead link‍]}
4. "Bahubali,Jain places, Kumbhoj, Jahaj mandir,Shravanabelagola, Gomteshwara,Bahubali, Jain Tirth places, kolhapur". Archived from the original on 2014-09-12. Retrieved 2014-09-12.
5. "Bahubali Kumbhoj Bramhcharya and Vidyapeeth Atishaya Kshetra".
6. "Kumbhoj Bahubali, Jain Shwetambar Temple, Jahaj Mandir".
7. Bhanu, B. V. (2004). People of India: Maharashtra - Kumar Suresh Singh - Google Books. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 9788179911006. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
8. Carrithers, Michael; Humphrey, Caroline, eds. (4 April 1991). The Assembly of Listeners: Jains in Society - Google Books. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521365055. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
9. Markham, Ian S.; Sapp, Christy Lohr (26 May 2009). A World Religions Reader - Google Books. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781405171090. Retrieved 2013-01-30.

External links

• Official website of Kumbhoj Jain temple Archived 2014-09-12 at the Wayback Machine

The information here is partly based on Jain Internet Religious websites: [1], [2], [3],

• [4], [5] Archived 2014-09-12 at the Wayback Machine etc