Shantinatha temple, Khajuraho
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| Shantinatha temple | |
|---|---|
शान्तिनाथ मन्दिर | |
renovated Shantinatha Jinalaya | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Jainism |
| District | Chhatarpur |
| Deity | Shantinatha |
| Location | |
| Location | Khajuraho |
| State | Madhya Pradesh |
| Country | India |
| Geographic coordinates | 24°50′39″N 79°56′10″E / 24.844241°N 79.936022°E |
| Architecture | |
| Date established | 11th century CE |
| Official name: Khajuraho Group of Monuments | |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i)(iii) |
| Designated | 1986 (session) |
| Reference no. | 240 |
Shantinatha temple (IAST: Śāntinātha Mandir) is a Digambara Jain temple located among the Jain temple cluster in eastern Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. While its main deity is the Jain tirthankara Shantinatha, it includes 18 shrines with numerous Jain images.
The temple has been classified as a Monument of National Importance by the Archaeological Survey of India.[1] This temple is part of UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other temples in Khajuraho Group of Monuments, listed for their testimony to the Chandela dynasty and their outstanding art and architecture.[2]
The temple incorporates two Chandella period shrines, along with fragment of other Chandella period temples. The present structure may have been constructed in 1870 CE, when a Gajarath festival was organized by Kanchhedtilal Jain of Nagaur marking a renewal of the site accompanied by installations of new images, as indicated by the inscriptions.[3]
The pedestal of the 12 foot Shantinath image in the Shantinatha temple bears an inscription dated Samvat 1085 (1027-28 CE) mentioning the installation by Chandradeva, the son of Thakur Devadhar.[4] The inscription is now hidden under plaster. The original Shantinatha temple has been incorporated the 19th century structure, and is now the main centre of Jain worship in Khajuraho.[5]