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Digambar Jain Lal Mandir, Old Delhi

Digambar Jain Lal Mandir (Śrī Digambar Jain Lāl Mandir) is the oldest and best-known Jain temple in Delhi, India.

It is directly across from the Red Fort in the historical Chandni Chowk area. The temple is known for an avian veterinary hospital, called the Jain Birds Hospital, in a second building behind the main temple.

Located just opposite the massive Red Fort at the intersection of Netaji Subhas Marg and Chandni Chowk, Digambar Jain Temple is the oldest Jain temple in the capital. According to Jain scholar Balbhadra Jain's compendium of Digambar Jain shrines in India, it was built in 1656.

Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Lal Mandir (left) and Gauri Shankar Mandir (right).
The 800 year old Gauri Shankar Temple is a Hindu temple located near the Digambar Jain Lal Mandir on the main Old Delhi road in Chandni Chowk.

  • The Gauri Shankar Temple is dedicated to Shiva and is one of most significant temples of Shaivites.
  • The temple has an 800 year old brown Lingam (phallus stone) encased in a marble representation of a female organ.
  • The Lingam is surrounded by snakes made up of silver and represents a cosmic pillar, the centre of universe or life.

Digambar Jain Lal Mandir.
The present-day temple buildings were constructed after the fall of the Mughal Empire, and date from 1878.

  • One of the idols in the temple dates back to 1491, and was originally installed by Bhattaraka Jinachandra.
  • The Agrawal Jain community acquired three marble idols installed by Jivaraj Papriwal under the supervision of Bhattaraka Jinachandra in Samvat 1548 (1491 AD) for the temple.
  • The main icon is that of Tirthankara Parshva. The deities in temple were originally kept in a tent belonging to an Agrawal Jain officer of the Mughal army.

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Source

Location

Location: Netaji Subhash Marg, Opposite Red Fort, Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi 110006, India