Kamthana

Kamthana is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, India. It is located in the Bidar taluk of Bidar district in Karnataka. Kamthana ancient village, Jain Tirtha is about 10 km from Bidar, famous for the historical Parshavanth Tirthankara Jain temple. The annual three-day car festival held every year mostly in the month of February.HistoryDuring 753 A.D Rashtrakuta prince Dantidurga proclaimed himself the sovereign power and Manyakheta (Malkhed) as Capital, built Jain temple. Nishidhis, inscriptions indicates the act of sallekhana are found in and around Kamthana. Kamthana means a place of forgiveness.Parshavanatha Teerthankara Jain templeKamthana Jainism centre, by Jain munis and shravaks choose this place to seek salvation through sallekhana. Srivatsa (North Indian tradition), is a diamond-shaped mark on the chest of the Parshvanath. Parshvanath Tirthankara idol is about 115-cm tall and 55-cm wide, in the paryankasana style, sheltered under a seven-hooded serpent, it was installed about 900 years back. A small lamp burns day and night in the cave. The light of the lamp is reflected in 1,000 mirrors plastered on to the wall.Discovery of IdolThe temple was part of a famous gurukul. For centuries, it provided students with religious and secular education free of cost. But the gurukul and the temple were neglected for over a century during the rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad. A Jain muni, Sri Shruta Sagar, rediscovered it in 1987. He began work on renovating the temple and organised an annual rath yatra, says Vijay Kumar Jain, Secretary of the Bidar Jain Milan. The temple trust is planning to revive the gurukul. The building plans are ready and donors have come forward to adopt students, he said.