The Shri Kavi Teerth located in Gujarat is a Jain pilgrimage centre. The Jain teerth kshetra is situated on the sea shore near the village Kavi. The temple is dedicated to Bhagwan Rishabh Dev, the first Jain Tirthankara and Lord Dharmanath, the fifteenth Jain Tirthankara.
History of Shri Kavi Teerth
As per the historical records Shri Kavi Teerth dates back to the ancient times. Earlier the name of the teerth was Kankavati. Since its construction the temple has been repaired and renovated many times. It was once renovated in the 1645 of the Vikram Samvat Era and was installed at the auspicious hands of the revered Acharya Shri Vijaysensurisvarji. It was named `Sarvajit Prasad`. The idol of Lord Dharmnath was also formally installed in the year 1655 of the Vikram Samvat Era. It was named `Ratnatilak Prasad`. This temple was built by a mother-in-law meaning sas in Hindi and his son`s wife meaning bahu in Hindi. As per a legend when the son`s wife struck against the door frame, her mother-in-law taunted her. Thus Virabhai, the son`s wife in humiliation built a splendid temple taking money from her parental home. The temple is therefore famous as the sas bahu temple. Here the idols of Bhagwan Rishabh Dev and Lord Dharamnath are believed to possess miraculous powers and are visited by thousands of Jains and non Jains from far off places. They come here to offer their prayers to the Lord and receive his blessings. It is believed that if prayed with all devotion the Lord fulfils the wishes of the pilgrims.
Temple of Shri Kavi Teerth
The temple of Shri Kavi Teerth houses the idols of Bhagwan Rishabh Dev and Lord Dharamnath. The temple has been magnificently decorated with intricate artistic designs. The creative temple work boast about the skills of the craftsmen. The walls and pillars of the temple are adorned with specimens of ancient art and paintings. The artistic works of the summits of the Ratnaprasad temple are really fascinating and praiseworthy. The idols of the Lord are white in colour and are seated in a padmasana posture. The idol has been beautifully carved from a single stone and looks very beautiful. The smiling face of the Lord looks very calm and serene.
The Temple of Shri Kavi Teerth organizes many annual gatherings and functions that are celebrated with much enthusiasm. 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 temple being located on the bank of the Sinhan River is surrounded by beautiful natural surroundings. The rippling waves of water of the dam attract 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. One can travel by roadway to this place on the Jambusar railway line at a distance of 96 kilometers from Vadodara and 80 kilometers from Bharuch. The railway station is at a distance of 1 kilometer from the Kavi temple.