Hastinapur

[Girish]

I'm in Meerut at the moment and am thinking of traveling to Hastinapur as I would like to go and see the famous Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir.
The drive from Meerut to Hastinapur is not long only about an hours drive. I would not just visit the temple, and would be interested in seeing other things too so I would like recommendations for sightseeing places in Hastinapur.

I would like to know what time the Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir opens in the morning?

I would also like some restaurant recommendations in Hastinapur.

 

[jnorth88]

I don't know when it opens, but know the area serves mostly Jain food. I hope vegetarian is not a problem. I would try the Jain Marwari Bhoj & Restaurant. It is vegetarian and pretty decent. But what is your budget, and do you need to eat meat. That can help narrow it down.

 

[briannagodess]

Hello, @Girish! Welcome to the forum!

Hastinapur is a town in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh. At the moment, it's a nagar panchayat, meaning it's in the transition from being a rural area to an urban area. Its name was derived from two words, hastin meaning elephant and puram meaning city. Some also believe that the town was named after King Hastin. All events in the Mahabharata took place in Hastinapur. It is also considered as one of the holiest places in the country by both Hindus and Jains. Some of the best attractions in Hastinapur are the following:

Temples

• Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir - This is a Jain temple complex built in 1801 under Raja Harsukh Rai, which was the imperial treasurer of Emperor Shah Alam II. This is the oldest temple in Hastinapur. Although the main temple was built in 1801, there are many more temples inside the complex built around the 20th century. The main temple is dedicated to Shri Shantinath in the Padmasana posture. Shri Shantinath is the 16th Jain Tirthankar. Inside the main temple, you'd find the 32 feet statue of Shri Shantinath. Another temple in the complex is the Trimurti Mandir, you can find the statues of Bhagwan Shantinath, Bhagwan Parshvanath and Bhagwan Mahaveer here. Another one is the Nandishwar Dweep Jinalaya, where the statues of Bhagwan Shantinath & Arahnath can be found.

• Jambudweep Jain Tirth - This is a Digambara Jain Temple built in 1972 under Gyanmati Mataji. It has a model of Jambudvipa which was completed a little bit later in 1985. The story goes that Gyanmati Mataji had a vision while meditating in 1965. In that vision, she saw the entire structure of the universe. Her vision matched perfectly with the details of the Jain scriptures. Hence, this temple was built with the aim of creating a pilgrimage sire for Jambudvipa.

• Shwetambar Temple - This temple and its idols have been around for a very long time. But it was reconstructed by Acharya Vijay Samudra Suri Ji during the 1960's. It is also believed that this is where the 1st Tirthankar Shri Aadinath Bhagwan conducted his paarna after 12 months of fasting. You can find the Paarna Mandir inside the temple complex, which features that first moment that Shri Aadinath Bhagwan drank sugarcane given to him by his great grandson, Shreyans Kumar.

• Pandeshwar Temple - You can find this in the Old City of Hastinapur. It is believed that the temple is around 7,000 years old already. It is dedicated to the Lord Shiva. The story goes that the shivalinga housed in the temple was donated by Danvir Karan, the eldest brother in the Pandavas. The temple is also believed as the place where the Kauravas and Pandavas learned about the Vedas and Puranas.

• Karna Temple - You can find this nearby the Pandeshwar Temple. It lies on the banks of the Ganges River. It's also dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is believed that Karna, one of the prime characters in the Mahabharata, established the shivalinga inside the temple. The temple can be traced back to the 4,000 BCE. The temple is very small but it does attract a lot of devotees all over the country and the world.

• Bhai Daram Singh Gurudwara - This is located in the Saifpur Village, about 2.5 kms from Hastinapur. It was established by Bhai Daram Singh Gurudwara, one of the forerunners of Khalsa. It's a very serene and tranquil place with simple interiors inside. It is also one of the holiest places for the Sikhs.

Historical

• Ashtapad - The name Ashtapad means eight steps. The story goes that there is this place in the Himalayas where Bhagwan Rishabhdev, the 1st Tirthankar, attained salvation. His son, Maharaja Bharat Chakravarti, built a palace in the same place and decorated it with diamonds. The Ashtapad Palace in Hastinapur is a replica of the supposed palace in the Himalayas. It was built by the Jain Community in Hastinapur, where the 1st Tirthanka was born. The structure was built over two decades, costing about Rs. 25 crores. The palace is about 151 feet tall and has eight steps as well.

Wildlife

• Hastinapur National Park - This national park was founded in 1986. There are over 350 species of birds here like the painted stork, sarus crane, jungle owlet and colourful woodpecker. Mammals can also be found here like sloth bears, jackals, leopard cats and jungle cats. Since it's near the river, you might be lucky and you can spot gangetic dolphins as well.

I would like to know what time the Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir opens in the morning?

The temple is open from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm everyday.

I would also like some restaurant recommendations in Hastinapur.

There are a few restaurants and eateries in Hastinapur. You'd have more luck finding good restaurants in Meerut or Muzaffarnagar, which are both under 60 kms from Hastinapur. However, here are some restaurants in Hastinapur:

• Jain Marwari Bhoj and Restaurant - They have pure vegetarian Indian cuisine. This is a family-owned restaurant as well so meals are almost home-cooked. Try out their vegetable thali and dal fry. Their address is: Near Jain Shwetamber Mandir, Hastinapur, Meerut - 250404.

• Recipes Restaurant - You can find this en route to Hastinapur, from Meerut. They have different cuisines as well as a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. It's also very affordable. You can try their buffet which has a wide spread of dishes. Their address is: Bravura Gold Resort, Delhi-Roorkee Bypass, National Highway 58, Partapur,Meerut, Uttar Pradesh 250103.

Let me know if you'd like some recommendations for restaurants around Meerut or Muzaffarnagar. I hope this helps!