Discovering the Serenity of Godiji Temple in Mumbai

Godiji Temple, Mumbai

Date of Issue: 17 April 2012

Godiji Parshwanath is the name given to several images of the Jain Tirthankar Parshwananth in India, and to the temple where it is the main deity (mulanayaka). Parshwanath was the 23rd Tirthankara who attained nirvana in 777 BCE.

The original image, about 1.5 feet high, was at Gori in Tharparkar district of Pakistan. The original temple still stands, but is empty.It is in village of Gori between Islamkot and Nagarparkar.

It was established in beginning of the eighteenth century in the Fort Jain Deraser area. The idol is said to have been brought from Hamirpur in Sirohi district in Rajasthan. Seth Amichand of Khambhat settled in Mumbai and constructed a griha jinalaya.The temple was moved in 1803 to Pydhonie locality because of a fire. In 1811, his sons Nemchand and Modishah acquired the current site, and in 1812 the Pratishtha ceremony was conducted. The brick and wood structure was complete replaced by a three-story marble structure in 1989.

Its 200th anniversary was celebrated on April 15 – May 12. 2012.A stamp commemorating this celebration was released by Milind Deora, the then Minister of State for Communications and IT, on April 17, 2012. A four volume directory of ancient manuscripts was also released.