Rajgadhi Timbo

Rajgadhi Timbo ( Umta Ruin of Ancient Temple)
umta, Mehsana, Gujarat India village Ancient Temple Unearth history of muslim evasion)
Rajgadhi Timbo Location in Gujarat
Alternative names	Ruins of Temple at Umta
General information
Status	ruined
Type	temple
Architectural style	Solanki architecture
Location	Umta village, Visnagar Taluka, Mehsana district, North Gujarat
Country	India
Coordinates	23°46′51.4178″N 72°33′17.2030″E / 23.780949389°N 72.554778611°ECoordinates: 23°46′51.4178″N 72°33′17.2030″E / 23.780949389°N 72.554778611°E
Destroyed	possibly 1298 AD
Technical details
Material	sand stone
Grounds	3000 sq metre
Designations	ASI State Protected Monument (S-GJ-295)

The Rajgadhi Timbo is a mound and historical site of medieval Jain temple located in Umta village in Visnagar Taluka, Mehsana district, Gujarat, India. The site is State Protected Monument under Gujarat State Archeology Department (GSAD).

History

The site of Rajgadhi Timbo ( Umta Village ancient Temple ) was 50 feet high and spread in an area of 3000 square metre surrounded by village.^[1][2]

The place was a site of massive Jain temple. It was possibly attacked by Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan, the generals of Allauddin Khilji in 1298. After the first attack in which the upper portion of temple was destroyed, the lower portion layers of lime was buried under mound to protect it from invaders. After 250 years, Darbar Ummatsinh Rana said to have built the Rajgadhi on the mound. In 1726, the Rajgadhi was destroyed by in fire when the Marathas led by Kuntaji Bande burned down the village. In 1890, Sayajirao Gaekwad built a school on the mound. In 1985, the back portion of the temple was discovered while demolitioning the dilapidated village coperative storebuilding. And west part of timbo escavated and found upper boundry of village, one of the witness for this event CA. Vishnu Patel was presence while all this event happened who is writter to this topic.^[1][2]

Archeology

In 1903, three Jain idols were discovered near Rajgadhi Timba. A farmer again discovered two more idols in 1963 which is protected under one existing kunthunath jain temple in village and prayed chandrmahaprabhu statue as guest every morning and evening. The Gujarat State Archeology Department (GSAD) conducted preliminary excavation in 1984-85 and collected some artifacts but it stopped the excavation few days later due to lack of funds. As GSAD stopped, with permission of district collector, the Svetambara and Digambara sects of Jains joined and started independent excavation in 1993 which was stopped due to disputes between sects regarding idols. The dispute was resolved in 1999 and excavation was started again in 2001.^[1][2]

After 50 feet height of excavation, the Jain temple was unearthed. The temple complex was spread in area of 200 square metre. The sandstone temple is in Solanki style. The upper part including Shikhar and Mandapa found in rubbles the lower part is almost intact. Jain as well as some Hindu idols were found.^[1][2] During excavation of the site statue of various tirthankar found burried in mound, with rice and kankoo used in pooja spread surrounding while burring in the sand as well as four to five kgs gold ornaments of the idols found from the same center part of temple.

The date of construction is not certain but the Prakrit inscription found on the pedestral of idols describes the idols were carved on the orders of King Jayasinh Umat and his consorts Shia and Sundari in Vikram Samvat 1240. It is constructed between 11th and 13th century. It seems to be constructed in two stages; the lower part in the 11th century. More than 70 idols were discovered belonging to both sects buried under sand near foundation of the temple which indicates intentional burial. The walls and pillars of temple has intrinsically carved images.^[1][2][3]

Village History :

The mound was present since long in centre of village resident area and no one resident was knowing from the village whether this is artificial or man made some structure although definately telling man made mound but since nobody know or care for what reason, village surrounding also telling storey of damaged part of temple stone spread all over village there was many up down slope in village since believed to be structure of the village, in 1963, one villager Namely Narayanbhai Patel store yard where cattle lives found during wall excavation of yard two big idols, one was broked during this process and one was transfered to one kunthunath jain temple and as per tradition prayed as guest. However in 1984, it was decided to shift such chandramahaprabhu idol to new temple built at ahmedabad where big ceremoney and saint came but idol not ready to shift and all sympton for that found to various sain even physical try to shift idol to ahmedabad not become possible so entire programme was cancalled and this temple within 15 days found while excavation start for cooperative store construction work.There are many witness and one jain saint also told durinh this event that god do not want to shift and we get result in some days why? even i am not believer of such storey but since my self was age 11 years and many witness including myself was there i write real storey witnessing such event.

While watching to the site we may clearly get ideas that this temple many times reconstructed which found from renovation work of stone where stone difefrence found for such repairs and entrance of the temple was used so as to even stone two inches passage reduced than surrounding parts which show many follower was came during life time of temple, secondly some idlo have year marked with renovation many idol found to be old , there is also hindu god ganesh and padmavati and such architectural shows indication of fusion of hindu and jain temple and that time there was not division between digambar and swetambar so this age lead to conflict later on understadning clear and now no dispute.

References

1. "Medieval Hindu-Jain temple unearthed in Gujarat but GSAD avoids excavation work". India Today. 18 June 2001. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
2. "Umta residents seek custody of Jain temple". The Times of India. 26 July 2001. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
3. "This beautiful 1500-year old idol is stolen, inside job suspected". DeshGujarat. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2016.