The Valinath Dham temple in Mehsana district of Gujarat, a 900-year-old heritage site, has been rebuilt with a new structure and design. The temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is the second largest in the state after the Somnath temple. The temple has been constructed in Nagara style with the stone of Bansi mountain, and has three main sanctums with the idols of Lord Valinath, Guru Dattatreya and Goddess Hinglaj. The temple also features a unique statue of Lord Shiva along with a Shivalinga, which is rare in the country.
The first of the 26 special “Aastha” trains from Gujarat to Ayodhya was flagged off by BJP leaders from Mehsana on Monday night. The train carried 1,344 devotees from seven assembly segments of Mehsana Lok Sabha seat. More such trains will follow from other seats in the state. The devotees will visit the Ram temple, which was consecrated on January 22. The Indian Railways had launched the “Aastha Special” trains for Ram devotees from across the country.
The construction work of the temple took 14 years to complete, with the efforts of famous architects and sculptors from India. The temple covers an area of 1.5 lakh cubic feet, and has a height of 101 feet, a length of 265 feet and a width of 165 feet. The temple has 68 pillars and a pagoda-shaped roof.
The temple has a rich history and legend associated with it. According to the tradition, Veeramgiri Bapu, a saint, had a dream in which he saw the idol of Lord Valinath and a sacred fire in Tarabh village of Visnagar taluk. He then dug out the idol from the ground and installed it at the site, which was called Tapobhoomi. He had earlier stayed in Kantharia village before coming to Tarabh. The idol of Lord Valinath is worshipped by the devotees since then.
The temple will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 22, as part of the Pran Pratishta ceremony, which is a ritual to infuse life into the idols. The ceremony will last for a week, and will include a Mahayagna, a grand sacrificial fire, with the participation of 15,000 guests. Jayaramgiri Bapu, the head of the temple, told the media houses that lakhs of people are expected to attend the ceremony and have the darshan of Lord Shiva. He said that he was happy and proud that the Prime Minister will grace the occasion and bless the temple.
Also Read – AMC Plans To Auction 10 Plots Worth Rs 901 Crore Before Polls
