The Statue of Vasupujya located at

Champapur Champapur is a village in Narkatiaganj Subdivision region West Champaran district in the Indian state of Bihar. The village is15 km away from Narkatiaganj, 36 km from its district West Champaran (also called Bettiah) and 230 km from it ...

in the Indian state of

Bihar Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Be ...

, is one of the tallest statues in eastern India and the tallest statue of Lord Vasupujya in India. The statue is dedicated to ''

Vasupujya Vasupujya was the twelfth tirthankara in Jainism of the '' avasarpini'' (present age). According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Vasupujya was born to King Vasupujya and Queen Jaya De ...

'', the twelfth

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...

of the present cosmic age. The height of the statue is 31 ft. The statue was constructed and donated by Smt Sona Devi Sethi Charitable trust, Nagaland. Champapur is a Siddhakshetra and occupies a very significant place among the Jains. This is said to be the place where all the five kalyanaks (five auspicious events)- Garbh, Janam, Diksha, Kevalgyana and Moksh kalyanak of ''Tirthankara Vasupujya'' took place. It is said that the first ''tirthankar''

Rishabha Rishabhanatha, also ( sa, ऋषभदेव), Rishabhadeva, or Ikshvaku is the first (Supreme preacher) of Jainism and establisher of Ikshvaku dynasty. He was the first of twenty-four teachers in the present half-cycle of time in Jain c ...

, twenty-third Tirthankara

Parshvanath ''Parshvanatha'' (), also known as ''Parshva'' () and ''Parasnath'', was the 23rd of 24 ''Tirthankaras'' (supreme preacher of dharma) of Jainism. He is the only Tirthankara who gained the title of ''Kalīkālkalpataru ( Kalpavriksha in this "Ka ...

and last tirthankara Mahavira had their Chaturmas (monsoon stay) at this place. Mahavira had his third and twelfth Chaturmas at this place.

Early Stages

The statue was built in the memory of Smt Sona Devi Sethi. The main force behind the project was Shri Binod Sethi, son of Shri

Phulchand Sethi Phulchand Sethi (November 1911 – 2 October 1976) was a social worker, philanthropist and businessman from Dimapur, Nagaland in Northeast India. He was amongst the first proponents of Jainism in Nagaland. He was awarded the Commendation Certific ...

and Smt Lada Devi Sethi, of Dimapur, Nagaland who wanted to fulfill the last wishes of his wife, Sona Devi Sethi, daughter of Shri Bhawarlal Jain and Smt Banarsi Devi Jain. His entire family including his two sons Dewas and Anand, and daughters Chandni and Shiwangi played an instrumental role in the project. The stone for the statue was brought all the way from Koyra mines in Karnataka to Champapur in Bihar. The original stone weighed over a 100 tonnes and was brought by road.

Bhoomi Pujan

The Bhoomi Pujan was done in June 2012.

Carving of the statue

The carving of the statue was done immaculately by Jagdish Sharma & Co, including Mithalal and Surendra Kumar, sculptors from Rajasthan, in Champapur itself. The carving was completed in about 14 months.

Erection of the statue

The statue was lifted with the help of two cranes which were brought from nearby states.

Panch Kalyanak Mahotsav

The

Panch Kalyanaka Panch Kalyanaka ( sa, pan̄ca kalyāṇaka, "Five Auspicious Events") are the five chief auspicious events that occur in the life of tirthankara in Jainism. They are commemorated as part of many Jain rituals and festivals. Kalyanaka These aus ...

Pratistha Mahotsav of the statue was held from 27 February 2014 to 3 March 2014. The Pancha Kalyanak Pratistha Mahotsav was conducted by Muni Shri 108 Shri Punya Sagarji Maharaj, Peethadeesh Swami Shri Ravindra Keertiji with the blessings of Ganini 105 Shri

Gyanmati Mataji Gyanmati Mataji () is an Indian Jain religious guru ''Aryika'' (nun) from India. She is known for being a prolific author and the construction of several Jain temples including the Jambudweep temple complex at Hastinapur, Uttar Pradesh and the ...

, a disciple of 108 Shri

Shantisagar Acharya Shri Shantisagar (1872–1955) was an Indian monk of the Digambara school of the Jain faith. He was the first Acharya (preceptor) and a leader of his sect in the 20th century. Shanti Sagar ji revived the teaching and practice of traditi ...

ji Maharaj and Acharya Shri 108 Vardhmansagar ji Maharaj.The chief Pratishtachari(Priest) of the Panch Kalyanak was Shri Vijay Kumar Jain. The Suri Mantra was said by Muni Shree 108 Shri Punya Sagarji Maharaj. The first ever Mahamastakabhisek of the statue was performed on 3 March 2014.

Gallery

Bhagwan Vasupujya.JPG, Statue of Lord Vasupujya,

First ever Panchamrit Mahamastakabhishek of the statue.JPG, First ever Panchamrit Mahamastakabhishek of the statue on 3 March 2014

References

External links

{{Jainism topics Colossal Jain statues in India, Vasupujya Jain rock-cut architecture Jain temples in Bihar 21st-century Jain temples Statues in Bihar West Champaran district Year of establishment missing