Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth located in Haryana is a Jain pilgrimage centre. The teerth kshetra is situated at a distance of 50 kms from Chandigarh, 100 kms from Ludhiana and 214 kms from Delhi. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vasupujya Swami the twelve Jain Tirthankara.
History of Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth
According to historical records Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth is a very ancient teerth. The Swetambara Temple dedicated to Lord Vasupujya Swami was constructed in the year 1998 under the inspiration of Gachhadhipati Late Shri Indradinn Suri Ji Maharaj. The installation ceremony was held under the auspicious presence of Acharya Vijay Nityanand Suri Ji Maharaj and Sadhvi Pramod Shri Ji Maharaj on Magha Vadi 12, Vikram Samvat Era 2053. The entire land for the temple and upashray was donated by Sh. Sat Paul Jain and family of Ambala Cantt. The family had extended their support and also played an important role in the completion of the entire project. The idol of Lord Parshvanatha is believed to possess miraculous powers. Many devotees from different places visit the temple to offer their prayers. It is believed that if prayed with all devotion the Lord fulfils the wishes of the pilgrims.
Temple of Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth
The temple of Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth houses the idol of Lord Vasupujya Swami. The Swetambara temple has been magnificently decorated with intricate artistic designs. These stand as unique example of ancient art and boast about the skills of the craftsmen. The walls and pillars of the temple are adorned with specimens of ancient art and paintings. The temple is in the form of a `greh mandir`. The idol of the Lord is 51 cm in height and is white in colour and is seated in a padmasana posture. It is made of marble and looks stunning. The idol has been beautifully carved from a single stone and appears to be very appealing. The smiling face of the Lord looks very calm and serene. Apart from this there are many other beautiful idols in the temple. The idol of Lord Mahavira is installed on the right side of Lord Vasupujya and the idol of Lord Parshvanatha is installed on the left of the deity. Besided these the idols of Kumaraye Yaksh, Yakshini Chandayi Devi, Mata Padmawati Devi, Mata Chakreshwari Devi, Acharya Vijyanand Suri Ji Maharaj and Acharya Vijay Vallabh Suri Ji Maharaj are also placed on the either sides of the main idol. All these idols have been brought from Jaipur and have been made beautifully. The ceremony of anjanshalaka was performed on them in Jammu by Acharya Vijay Nityanand Suri Ji Maharaj during the installation ceremony. These look stunning and are thus worth seeing. The temple of Shri Ambala Cantt is located on the first floor while there is an upashray on the ground-floor. Other than the main temple There are two other Jain Swetambar temples in Ambala City. Among them one tem,ple is believed to be more than 100 years old. There are also three Digambara Jain temples in Ambala.
The Temple of Shri Ambala Cantt Teerth organizes many annual gatherings and functions that are celebrated with much enthusiasm. Every year flag is hoisted in the temple in the month of Magha Vadi 12. There are provisions for dharamshalas or rest houses for the pilgrims that are well equipped with all modern facilities. There are also facilities for Upashrays, Ayambilshala and Jnanabhandar. The teerth being situated amidst beautiful natural surroundings attracts many pilgrims. The surrounding greenery and the beauty of the teerth mesmerize and fascinate the pilgrims. The calm and tranquil village environment makes it a perfect place for religious activities. The kshetra is well connected to road, rail and air. Taxi services and bus services are easily available here. The nearest bus stand and railway station is located in Ambala Cantt. The closest airports are located at Chandigarh at a distance of 50 kms, Ludhiana at a distance of 110 kms and Delhi located at a distance of 214 kms.
