Talaja

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

---

Map of Bhavnagar district

Talaja (तलाजा) is a city in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat.

Variants

• Talaja (तलाजा) = Taladhvaja तालध्वज (सौराष्ट्र, गुजरात) (AS, p.392)
• Talaji/Talaji River तलाजी = Taladhvaja तालध्वजा (सौराष्ट्र, गुजरात) (AS, p.393)
• Taladhvaja तालध्वज = Talaja तलाजा (AS, p.398)
• Tāladhvajā/Taladhvaja River तालध्वजा = Talaji River तलाजी (AS, p.398)
• Talaja Caves

Location

Talaja is located at 21.35°N 72.05°E. It has an average elevation of 19 metres. Talaja is located on national Highway No. 8 in between Bhavnagar (50 km) and Mahuva (40 km). It is a Tehsil place which oencompasses Alang – one of the largest ship breaking yards at one of the places which has the highest tidal range in the world.

Talaja Caves

The Talaja Caves are located in Bhavnagar district of the Indian state of Gujarat at Talaja. The rock cuts are carved out into deserted conical rocks. The rock cut group include 30 caves among which about 15 are water tanks. The cave has unique architecture known as Ebhal Mandapa. The halls are plain. "On the facade there are chaitya windows with a broad bank below them." The chaitya and cells were carved during Buddhism influence in 2nd century BC. During the Kshatrapas' regime in 2nd-3rd century AD Jainism emblems were carved on the cells and the halls.

The cave contains figures of Bodhisattva.The caves were carved out before rock cut architecture begins in the Maharashtra. According to few Historians the date of caves can not be traced out however some believe that carving started by the end of 1st century CE.

Jain Temple

This Jain temple was established by Kumarpala during the 12th century. This is a holy place of the Shri Shatrunjaya Panchteerthi and is part of the Shatrunjaya hills. The temple was last renovated in 1815(V.S. 1872). This temple belong to Shwetambar sect. of Jainism. Moolnayak of this temple is the 79-cm-tall black colored idol of Sacha Sumatinatha Bhagwan in padmasan posture. Prabhu idol is full of miracles (chamatkar); with the effect of its appearance complete area was relieved from the disease spread here during that period. Since then the idol is called as Sacha Sumatinath. Besides this temple, there are temples of Chintamani Parshvanath Bhagawan, Mahavir Swami Bhagawan and the Gurumandir.

तलाजा = तालध्वज

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...तलाजा (AS, p.392) सौराष्ट्र, गुजरात का ऐतिहासिक स्थान है। यह भावनगर के निकट प्राचीन बौद्ध स्थान है, जिसका प्राचीन नाम 'तालध्वज' है। तालध्वजा या तलाजी नदी इस स्थान के पास ही बहती है। वैसे यह स्थान शत्रुंजयी नदी के तट पर स्थित है। तलाजा जैन धर्म के मानने वालों का भी एक प्रमुख तीर्थ स्थान है। इस स्थान से प्राप्त अनेक प्राचीन मूर्तियाँ वाटसन संग्रहालय, राजकोट में संगृहित हैं। तीस प्राचीन शैलकृत गुफ़ाएँ भी तलाजा में हैं, जो संभवत: जैन भिक्षुओं के लिए बनवाई गईं थीं।

तलाजी नदी = तालध्वजा नदी

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...तलाजी = तालध्वजा (AS, p.393): तलाजी नदी सौराष्ट्र के गोहिलवाड़ प्रांत की एक छोटी नदी है, जो शत्रुंजया की सहायक नदी है। इस नदी के उत्तर की ओर प्राचीन वलभिनगरी के ध्वंसावशे हैं। तलाजा नदी का प्राचीन नाम 'तालध्वजा' था और इसके तथा शत्रुंजयी के संगम के निकट प्राचीन बौद्ध स्थान तालध्वज या तलाजा बसा हुआ था।