Muktagiri

Muktagiri Ji
—  jain pilgrimage centre  —
Muktagiri Ji Location of Muktagiri Ji in Madhya Pradesh and India
Coordinates	21°23′2″N 77°35′47″E / 21.38389°N 77.59639°E / 21.38389; 77.59639Coordinates: 21°23′2″N 77°35′47″E / 21.38389°N 77.59639°E / 21.38389; 77.59639
Country	India
State	Madhya Pradesh
District(s)	Betul
Nearest city	Amravati
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area • Coastline	• 0 kilometres (0 mi)
Codes • Vehicle • MP-

Muktagiri is a Jain Pilgrimage centre, located on border of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra in India. It comes under Bhainsdehi tehsil of Betul district or Baitul district in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is 14 km away from Paratwada, Dist. Amravati, Maharashtra. Muktagiri is 7 km away from Kharpi village on Paratwada - Baitul road.

Muktagiri is also called as 'Mendhagiri'. There are 52 temples on the mountain, surrounding a beautiful waterfall. The waterfall is generally visible only when there is enough rainfall in the area. One can plan trip to Muktagiri between June to September to see the waterfall. A lot of monkeys can be seen near the 10th Temple - Bhagwan Sheetalnath temple - near which the waterfall is located. The 10th Temple is an ancient temple and is inside an ancient cave. The cave is prone to stonefall (which is generally said to happen only during night). Also, lot of honeybees are at a large distance from the cave. The 1st Temple, 10th Temple, 26th Temple and 40th Temple are the main temples.

How To Reach

From Delhi u can go by train (G.T EXPRESS AND GONDWANA EXPRESS) Delhi to Betul (15-17) hrs Journey and from betul take bus(100 rs per person) or taxi(around 1500.00 INR)

Temple Timings

Muktagiri Temples

The temples close at around 11 am. Since the temples are in Satpura Mountain range and surrounded by jungle, it is better to visit the temples before 10 am. It takes around 1.25 to 1.5 hour for an average person to finish the entire upward and downward journeys and also little bit of puja in each temple. After 11am, one can not go inside the temples. One has to greet the Bhagwans from outside the door of each temple.

Since the nearby area is a jungle, one has to come down before noon or before it becomes dark. There are separate routes for upward and downward journeys. The temples are jagrut or holy and divine temples. So one should not carry out any bad acts in or around the temples.

Muktagiri Temples

Directions

While traversing the route of temples, one should look at the footsteps since the route from 1st to 52nd temple is written in orange colour on the footsteps since the 52 temples are divided in 4 or 5 groups and are located in different areas of the mountain. But they are not very far from each other. The entry passage to some of the temples is very narrow. In some passages and on some of the steps especially inside the temples which are inside other temples, taller people have to crawl. Also, very fat people may not be able to traverse these passages.

The way to 51st & 52nd Temple is from inside 50th Temple. This inside route is quite dark. There are no lights in this inner passage. So it is better to carry a torch along. The downward journey route is also from 52nd Temple only. So without a torch or a guide, one will not be able to come down / one will be lost.

Accommodation

Good residential facilities are available at 4 or 5 Dharamshalas which charge around Rs. 100 per day. Inexpensive food is available at mess or Bhojanalays but one has to purchase coupons at least 1 hour in advance. It is better to carry mineral or bisleri water from Paratwada itself as there are hardly any shops at Thapoda (the place where Muktagiri temples are located as per Postal address).

Every year there is a fair on the occasion of Kartik Diwali.

Transportation

Though Muktagiri comes under Bhainsdehi tehsil of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh, it is also accessible from Paratwada in Amravati district in Maharashtra. Paratwada is 52 km from Amravati.The Autorickshaws are generally available from Paratwada to Muktagiri. The best way to go to Muktagiri from Amravati is Amravati->Paratwada->Muktagiri. State Transport (ST) buses for Paratwada are available every 15 minutes from Amravati ST Stand.

Autorickshaw Charges

Rockview near Waterfall at Muktagiri

The autorickshaws charge Rs. 100 for Paratwada to Muktagiri for a full autorickshaw of 3 to 8 passengers. Otherwise, they charge Rs. 15-20 per seat & they cram around 9-10 passengers in one autorickshaw. The area is totally backward. Generally, only adivasis are staying near this area. So it is better to travel during daytime / return to Paratwada before noon. The road is completely deserted from Kharpi to Muktagiri especially on Thursday - a weekly bazaar day for Paratwada.

For return journey to Paratwada, autorickshwalas bargain very hard. They try to extract Rs. 150 or more for full autorickshaw or Rs. 15 - 20 per passenger by cramming 8-10 persons in one autorickshaw. As such, the Muktagiri Kshetra and the Dharamshala staff as well as facilities there are good but the transportation facilities from Kharpi to Muktagiri are very poor especially for the return journey from Muktagiri. The road in Madhya Pradesh area after Kharpi is horrible. The road in Maharashtra area is excellent. It was the history of bad roads till 2008. Now the roads are good from MP to Maharashtra.

How this place named ‘Muktagiri’: -

it is said that at the time when Samavsharan of 10th Teerthankar Bhagwan Sheetalnath arrived here, there was shower of pearls (Moti, Mukta). It is because of this shower of pearls the name of this holy place became Muktagiri.

The secret behind the name – ‘Mendhagiri’:

Picturesque View of Waterfall at Muktagiri

It is said that in ancient times one Muniraj was engrossed in meditation & Tapa near waterfall. At that time one Mendha (male sheep - Lamb), which came near waterfall got slipped and fell near Muniraj. The Muniraj recited ‘Namokar Mantra’ to the dying Mendha. As a result of recitation of ‘Namokar Mantra’, Mendha attained eternity & peace and became Dev. This Dev visited for the prayers of Muniraj and showered pearls on this hill. As the Mendha attained eternity here so name of this place became ‘Mendhagiri’ and due to shower of pearls it became ‘Muktagiri’. Even today the shower of saffron takes place on the hill at Ashtami, Chaturdashi & Poornima.

Atishaya: -

'Though it is Siddha Kshetra, it is also related with many miracles. Many Sensitive devotees do visit the principal deity Bhagwan Parshvanath of 26th temple to get rid from worldly diseases and other types of illness. One foreigner himself felt one such miracle. The proof of this event with foreigner is present in the Government Gazetteer of Baitool. Moreover the shower of Saffron on hill on the Ashtami, Chaturdashi & Full moon night (Poornima) provides strong evidence for the happening of miracles at this place. Many dangerous animals like Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Snakes & Reptiles are seen visiting at the feet of Bhagwan and it seems that they visit here to get rid of their violent tendencies. These dangerous animals have never proved violent and not even caused harm to any visitor.

Recent Miracle

The miracle of getting rid from incurable diseasesThe living evidence of this miracle is Mr. Arun Kumar Jain who resides in Delhi the year 1980 due to the effect of Cauda Equina Compression disease, Mr. Arun Kumar Jain’s one leg became weak & also its length get reduced from another leg. Thus due to difference in length of two legs he was not able to walk normally and he started using crutch. Due to tension he also became heart patient. Till 1994 he used crutches and doctors of Escorts Hospital, Delhi advised him for the operation of heart. In the month of August of year 1994 he saw a dream continuously for many days. He saw in dream Muktagiri in written and saw that he was walking without crutches on the hills of Muktagiri Teerth Kshetra. Therefore after this dream he decided that he should visit the Muktagiri Kshetra. One day he, his wife & his brother in law reached Muktagiri. At Muktagiri after walking 100 Yards he started feeling strength in his legs and rest of climbing of stairs he did without the help of crutches. On the 26th temple he received the shower of saffron on his head. Probably this shower must be the blessings of Bhagwan. At the time descending he lost all the strength and again felt the need of crutches. In the year 1995 he again saw such dream. He decided to visit Muktagiri again. This time he visited Muktagiri along with other 60 devotees. The heart operation up to this time was postponed. This time when he reached to Dharmshala of Muktagiri he felt the strength in his leg and there was no need for him to walk with crutches because now he was able to walk normally. At Muktagiri he sang three prayers devotionally and also danced while singing. This time also there was shower of saffron and when he looked above he saw a chariot of Dev, which was shining like diamond. But as soon as he reached the Dharmshala he realized that his strength of leg was again gone and so he again took the help of crutches. Like this in the year 1996 & 1997 he visited Muktagiri and offered his prayers. In January 1998 he again saw the dream and then he decided to visit Muktagiri again. He got reservation for Muktagiri and when his son gave tickets in his hands he felt that a kind of power has flowed in whole body and he was surprised that all the weakness of his legs vanished away. From that time onwards he is not using the crutches and not even taking any medicines or pills. The specialist doctors of heart & bones are quite surprised to see such instant recovery...