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History of surajmandal derasar gopipura
Here is the brief history of Surajmandal (Surajmandan) Parshwanath Derasar in Gopipura, Surat:
- The main Surajmandan Parshwanath idol sits in the Hathiwala Mandir basement, a well-known Shwetambar Jain derasar in Gopipura, Surat. The idol is described as a white, 153 cm tall Parshwanath in Padmasana with a 9-hooded umbrella. The site is also referred to as the “Hathiwala Mandir.” ( jainmandir.org)
- Historical installation dates tied to this temple mention Surajmandan Parshwanath being installed in VS 1679 (frame of reference: Vikram Samvat era) by Shri Ratnachandra Gani, under the guidance of a disciple of Shri Shanti Chandra Upadhyay, with Gopidas Shresthi playing a key sponsor role; this connection is one reason the area came to be known as Gopipura. ( jainknowledge.com)
- An earlier installation at the same complex is the idol of Shri Dharmanath Bhagwan, installed in VS 1664 by Acharya Shri Hirvijaysurishvarji, and the site later housed Hir Vihar, a guru mandir built by Shri Vastupal Omji with footprints of Hirvijaysurishvarji and Sensuriji preserved there. ( jainknowledge.com)
- The temple complex in Gopipura includes several derasars, with Surajmandan Parshwanath being a prominent shrine among Shwetambar Jain temples in the area. The Hathiwala/Gopipura cluster is one of Surat’s historic Jain locales. ( jainsattva.com)
Notes on tradition:
- The Haathi Wala Derasar in Gopipura (where Surajmandan Parshwanath is enshrined) is listed as a Shwetambar Jain temple in various temple directories. Other derasars in the same area also reflect the local Shwetambar heritage. ( jainmandir.org)
You can read more about the Surajmandan Parshwanath temple and its history in these pages:
