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Siddhachal Jain Temple Caves – Monoliths and Carvings at Gwalior

On the way up to the Gwalior fort the road climbs through a wooded gorge called the Urwahi valley. Facing it, and carved into the soaring sandstone cliff, are the imposing ‘Jain‘ monoliths that depict the Teerthankars. The Sanskrit/Hindi word “Teerth” means a destination situated at the bank of a river and “Teerthankar” would mean someone who enables a traveller to reach this destination. Symbolizing the flow of existence as a flowing river, “Teerthankar” would essentially mean an enlightened master who helps fellow beings in crossing the river and reaching the ‘destination’. The monolith statues are believed to have been carved in the 15th century under the patronage of a Tomar king.