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VIMALSHAH'S
EPISODE
The famous Vimal Shah of Sourastra, a minister under Solanki rulers
was a devotee and builder of unparalleled renown. Gujarat history
shows that no single individual had biflt so great a number of
shrines and such masterpieces at it, as he did. The Dilwara temple
on Mount Abu, his immortal contribution to religion is standing now
as a sweet poem in white marble that makes even the divine architect
Viswakarma confess his inability to come nearer to it in sculptural
marvels. It is recorded that his passion for building was
monumental and it was appeased only when he completed 360
temples-all of unique excellence and unheard of beauty. As his
unquenchable thirst for Jainism was so great he built 360 Jain
temples alone at Kumbaria, only 3 miles off the Ambaji shrine. When
his hopeless zeal reached the apex, he disgraced Ambika and at a
particular festival, he incurred her wrath in not acknowledging her
grace. Soon the universal MOTHER asserted and saw him bite the
dust-she destroyed 355 out of 360 temples of great wonder.
Apprehending danger to his life, Vimal Shah jumped into the crypt of
Ambaji temple and ran all through the under ground passage till he
emerged on the Mount Abu. She regretted when she returned to
normalcy, and she advised him in dream to build one temple on Abu
and dedicate it to Adinath, the illustrious Jain. Thus came into
existence, Dilwara shrine, the incomparable stone temple and the
alltime wonder in the realm of sculpture. Needless to say, all but
due to the grace of Ambaji. Is not Her fearful aspect too be
reckoned with?
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