Kulpakji Temple Telangana

Introduction to the Kulpakji Temple

The Kulpakji Temple, also known as Kolanupaka Temple, is an ancient Shwetamber Jain temple in Kolanupaka village, Nalgonda district, Telangana. It is the main temple for the Jain Community.

History of the Kulpakji Temple

Kulpakji, or Kolanupaka, was a prominent place for Jainism in Andhra Pradesh before the 4th century. It became a Jain center during the Rashtrakuta period and was the second capital town of Kalyani Chalukyas during the 11th century. Over twenty inscriptions and several Jain antiquities were found in Kulpakji.

Jainism declined after 1276 AD and resumed in 1711 AD. During this time, the temple of Manikyaswami was renovated with a boundary wall. The Jain scriptures mention that Mandodari, the wife of Ravana, worshipped Manikyaswami. Some legends explain that Bharat Chakravarti, the son of Rishabha, built the Kulpakji Temple and was the ruler after whom our country is named.

The Architecture of the Kulpakji Temple

Bharata Chakravarti, the son of King Dushyanta and Queen Sakuntala of Hastinapur, the successors of the Lunar dynasty of Kshatriya Varna, built the Kulpakji Temple 2000 years ago. It has seen many renovations from time to time.

The Kulpakji Temple occupies 1 acre of the 20 acres, while Dharamshalas and guest houses occupy the remaining land. The temple preserves the old sanctum, and a new temple surrounds the existing tower.

Red sandstone and white marble adorn the interior and exterior of the Kulpakji Temple. The temple's architecture is stunning, and it has wonderful wall carvings. It was in a ruined condition for many years, and Rasiklal Manikchand Dhariwal (Manikchand group) renovated it in 1960. Over 150 artisans from Rajasthan and Gujarat worked in the recent temple renovation.

The presiding deity of the Kulpakji Temple is Adinath (Rishabha), the first Tirthankara of the Jain religion. It houses the three main idols of Tirthankaras: Adinath, Neminath, and Mahavir. The statue of Adinath is in green stone. There is a bull on Adinath's pedestal. The statue of Mahavir is on the right side of Adinath's statue and is made of a single jade, which is 140 cm high. His statue has an image of a Lion. The statue of Neminath is on the left side of the statue of Adinath and is made out of black stone.

The idols of Simandar Swami and Mata Padmavathi are on either side of the main temple. Visitors can see eight idols of various other Tirthankaras on both sides of the temple. Every Tirthankara has his unique style. There is a beautiful carving of a multi-headed cobra shielding the statue of Parshawnath like an umbrella.

Pilgrims can stay in the huge Dharamshala in the temple's courtyard. A new Dharamshala with 82 rooms has been recently constructed and has all the facilities for pilgrims. Bhojanalaya is also inside the temple, where breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are available. The temple offers free meals to visitors and also accepts donations.

It offers meals to 100 people daily. During the first Purnima, after Chaturmaas, over 600 people are fed.

Festivals in the Kulpakji Temple

The Kulpakji Temple grandly celebrates Mahavir Jayanthi. Hordes of devotees assemble on this auspicious occasion to seek Adinatha's blessings.