Bawangaja Jain Temple | Sacred Pilgrimage Site in India

Bawangaja is in Barwani district of south-west Madhya Pradesh. It sits in the green hills of the Satpura range, about 6 km south of the Narmada river. The temple is only 6 to 8 km from Barwani town.

The Barwani district website says 6 km, while Wikipedia says around 8 km. So it depends from which side of town you start. Either way, it is a short ride.

One more thing I want to clear. Many websites, even Wikipedia, say the idol stands at about 4,000 feet (1,219 m) height. Honestly I am not sure about this number, because the hiking map Komoot shows the Chulgiri temple viewpoint at around 550 m. So I am not giving one exact height here. Komoot also lists the view from Chulgiri as a viewpoint, so do keep your phone camera ready.

Why is it Called Bawangaja?

The name comes from two Hindi words. “Bawan” means 52 and “gaja” comes from “gaj”, an old unit of length. So Bawangaja simply means 52 gaj, which is the height of the idol as per local belief.

Now you will ask, 52 yards is around 156 feet, so how the statue is only 84 feet? Good question guys. Here gaj is not the 3 feet yard we use today. The Jain group DJSNA describes the height as 52 arm lengths, and if you divide 84 feet by 52, one gaj comes around 19 inches. That is close to one arm length from elbow to fingers, so I think the name makes total sense.

Fun fact: 84 feet is exactly 1,008 inches. And 1008 is a very respected number in Jainism. You will often see it written before the names of Tirthankaras, like “Shri 1008 Adinath Bhagwan”.

The 84 Feet Statue of Lord Adinath (Rishabhadeva)

The main attraction of Bawangaja is the huge idol of Lord Adinath, also called Rishabhadeva. He is the first Tirthankara of Jainism. The idol is carved directly out of the hill from one single rock of brown stone, and devotees lovingly call him “Bade Baba”.

The idol stands in Kayotsarga posture, which is a standing meditation pose. If you look closely, the hands are not joined with the legs, they are carved separate. All body parts are in good proportion and the face looks very calm. I really like this simple style, there is no extra decoration, just pure peace.

Unlike the famous Gommateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola, this idol is not free-standing. It is supported from back side by the hill itself. On its left side there is the four-armed Gomukh Yaksha, and on the right side the sixteen-armed Yakshi Chakreshvari. (Source: Wikipedia)

Statue Measurements

These sizes are as per Wikipedia. Just look at the ear, it is almost 10 feet long!

Part of the idol	Size
Total height	84 ft
Span between the two hands	26 ft
Length of hand (arm)	46 ft 6 in
Waist to heel	47 ft
Circumference of head	26 ft
Length of foot	13 ft 9 in
Width of foot	5 ft
Length of ear	9 ft 8 in
Distance between the two ears	17 ft 6 in
Length of nose	3 ft 3 in
Length of eye	3 ft 3 in

Is Bawangaja the Tallest Jain Statue?

Not anymore. For many years Bawangaja was called the world’s tallest statue of Lord Adinath, and the Barwani district website still says this. But in 2016 the 108 feet Statue of Ahimsa was completed in the Mangi-Tungi hills of Maharashtra. So now Bawangaja is the second largest.

Statue	Place	Height	Made in
Statue of Ahimsa (Lord Rishabhadeva)	Mangi-Tungi, Nashik, Maharashtra	108 ft	2016
Bawangaja (Lord Adinath)	Barwani, Madhya Pradesh	84 ft	Early 12th century
Gommateshwara (Bahubali)	Shravanabelagola, Karnataka	57 ft	Around 983 CE

Source: Prepp, Wikipedia – Statue of Ahimsa and Wikipedia – Bawangaja. If you ask me, height is not everything. Bawangaja is more then 800 years old and still standing in the open hills, and that is the real magic.

History of Bawangaja – Timeline

Nobody knows for sure who carved the idol, because there is no inscription on the statue itself. As per HereNow4U, a 13th century Jain writer named Madankirti mentioned one Arkakirti as its maker. Many devotees also believe the idol is from Ramayana time, as Patrika reports, but historians place it in the early 12th century.

Year	What happened
Early 12th century	The 84 ft idol is carved, as per most historians
1166 AD (Samvat 1223)	Main Chulgiri temple is built, as per an inscription
1459 AD	Second inscription at the Chulgiri temple
15th century	Ten more temples come up on the hill under Bhattaraka Ratnakirti
1503 CE	A Bhattaraka repairs the idol, as per an inscription
1989–1991	Idol repaired again; consecration and Mahamastakabhishek in January 1991
26 Jan – 10 Feb 2008	Mahamastakabhishek of the idol
2016	Trust builds a 3-storey dharamshala with 108 rooms
2019	Trust starts preparing for a Mahamastakabhishek planned in February 2020
27–28 Jan 2025	Yearly mela on Lord Adinath’s Moksha Kalyanak

Sources: Wikipedia, HereNow4U, Jainworld, DJSNA, Patrika (2019) and ETV Bharat. Honestly, I think it is amazing that people kept caring for this idol for around 900 years.

Chulgiri Jain Temple on the Hilltop

On the very top of the same hill stands the Chulgiri Jain temple. It is a Siddha Kshetra, which means a place where souls attained moksha (salvation) as per Jain belief. Jain texts say Indrajit (Ravana’s son, also known as Meghnad) and Kumbhakarna attained moksha from here, along with other munis.

Inside the temple there are three old foot images (charan) of Indrajit, Kumbhakarna and one more muni. The main altar has idols of Lord Mallinath and Lord Chandraprabha. The temple also has two old inscriptions dated 1166 and 1459 AD. (Sources: Wikipedia, Barwani district website)

As per a Patrika report, Jain stories also say Ravana’s queen Mandodari took diksha as an aryika (nun). There is a temple of Sati Mandodari on Mandodari hill here. Honestly I find it very interesting how the Jain Ramayana stories are so different from the version most of us grew up with.

Mahamastakabhishek and the Yearly Mela

Mahamastakabhishek is the grand head-anointing of the idol, and at Bawangaja it is planned around every 12 years. Big ones happened in January 1991 and from 26 January to 10 February 2008. A Patrika report from 2019 said the next one was planned for February 2020, with around 15 lakh devotees expected.

But honestly, I could not find any clear report that the 2020 event actually took place. So if you are planning your trip for the Mahamastakabhishek, please check with the trust first.

Every year there is also a big mela. These days it is held on Lord Adinath’s Moksha Kalyanak, which is Magh Krishna Chaturdashi. In 2025 the mela was on 27 and 28 January, as per ETV Bharat.

On the main day a shobha yatra goes from the trust office at the foothill up to Bade Baba. Then there is abhishek, shanti dhara and the Nirvan Laddu offering. Devotees come from Nimar, Malwa, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra for this.

Old records quoted on Wikipedia put the yatra on Paush Purnima instead. Either way, the mela comes in January or February. I think this is the best time to see the place full of life, but be ready for a big crowd.

Bawangaja Temple Timings, Stay and Best Time to Visit

Detail	Info
Temple timings	5:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Stay	Trust dharamshala at the foothill (3-storey, 108 rooms, built in 2016), plus hotels in Barwani town
Best time	October to March
Not ideal	April to June, as the Nimar area gets very hot
Busiest days	Yearly mela (January/February) and Mahamastakabhishek years

Timings are as per jainmandir.org, the dharamshala details are from Wikipedia, and the season tip is as per Vardhman Vacations. Please confirm timings once with the trust, because they can change on festival days.

If you ask me, go in winter and start the climb early in the morning. The sun in this area is very strong, and climbing a hill in that heat is not fun at all.

How to Reach Bawangaja

Bawangaja is easy to reach by road. The last part of the journey is always by road, because the nearest big railway stations are far away.

By air: The nearest airport is Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore, about 150 km away. From there you can take a taxi or bus to Barwani.
By train: The nearest big railway stations are Indore (about 150 km) and Khandwa (about 180 km).
By road: Barwani is connected by road with Indore, Khandwa, Sendhwa and Khargone. From Barwani town you can hire an auto or taxi for the last few km.

From	Distance (approx.)
Barwani town	6–8 km
Sendhwa	70 km
Khargone	90 km
Indore	150 km
Khandwa	180 km

Source: Barwani district website. I think a road trip from Indore is the easiest option for most people.

Things to Know Before You Go

These small things will make your visit much easier:

Plan for the full climb. The big idol comes on the way up, and the Chulgiri temple is at the very top of the hill. So keep some energy for the last part.
Start early and carry water. Morning is cooler and less crowded. Wear comfortable clothes, as you will remove your shoes before entering the temples.
Leave leather items in the car. Things like leather belts and wallets are better avoided, as most Jain temples do not like leather inside.
Elders can ask for help. If old people are with you, ask at the trust office at the foothill about doli (palki) help.
Abhishek rule for women. As per trust rules, women can enter and do puja, but they are not allowed to do abhishek of the Adinath idol. In November 2019 the MP High Court (Indore bench) dismissed a PIL against this rule, as per Naidunia via vidyasagar.net. I am just sharing it so nobody gets surprised there.
Book rooms early in mela time. During the yearly mela and Mahamastakabhishek years, rooms fill up very fast.

Places to Visit Near Bawangaja

If you have one or two extra days, you can add these places to your trip:

Rajghat: A peaceful ghat on the Narmada river near Barwani town.
Parshvagiri Jain Temple: A Digambar Jain temple in Barwani Khurd, good to visit on the same day.
Pawagiri (Oon) Siddha Kshetra: Another Jain Siddha Kshetra in the Nimar region.
Mandu: The famous fort city with old Afghan-style palaces.
Maheshwar: Beautiful Narmada ghats and the Ahilya Fort.

If you ask me, I would pick Maheshwar if you have time only for one, because the Narmada ghats there are lovely in the evening. (Sources: Holidify, Vardhman Vacations, jainmandir.org)

My Thoughts on Bawangaja

If you ask me, Bawangaja is one of the most underrated places in Madhya Pradesh. Everybody talks about Shravanabelagola, but very few people know that a taller idol of Lord Adinath stands quietly in the Satpura hills.

For me the best part is the calm face of the idol. I think standing in front of an 84 feet idol carved from the hill itself will make anybody feel small, in a good way. Whether you are a Jain devotee or just love old architecture like me, this place is worth to visit at least once.

FAQs on Bawangaja Jain Temple

1. How tall is the statue at Bawangaja Jain Temple?

The idol of Lord Adinath at Bawangaja Jain Temple is 84 feet tall. It is carved out from a single rock of the hill.

2. Is Bawangaja the tallest Jain statue in the world?

No. It was called the tallest for many years, but since 2016 the 108 feet Statue of Ahimsa at Mangi-Tungi is taller. Bawangaja is now the second largest.

3. What does Bawangaja mean?

Bawangaja means “52 gaj”. Bawan is 52, and gaj is an old unit of length, close to one arm length here.

4. What are the Bawangaja Jain Temple timings?

The temple is open from 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM. Timings can change on festival days, so confirm once with the trust.

5. How far is Bawangaja from Indore?

Bawangaja is about 150 km from Indore by road. Indore also has the nearest airport and a big railway station.

6. When is the Bawangaja mela held?

The yearly mela is held on Lord Adinath’s Moksha Kalyanak (Magh Krishna Chaturdashi), which falls in January or February. In 2025 it was held on 27 and 28 January.

Final Words

So guys, this was all about Bawangaja Jain Temple. I have tried to cover the 84 feet idol, its history, the Chulgiri temple, the yearly mela, timings and how to reach there. If you have visited Bawangaja, do share your experience in the comments. Keep on visiting The Indian Architecture for more such blogs.

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