Bijolia

Geography

Bijoliya Kalan is located at 25°9′50″N 75°19′30″E. It has an average elevation of 512 m (1,680 ft). The town situated in the South East of Bhilwara. It is close to the borders of the District Bundi. It is walled with two gates (North and South) and picturesquely situated on a plateau called the UPARMAL. Distance from various cities: 50 km from Bundi on the Bundi-Chittauragarh road, 70 km from Kota on NH 27, 85 km from Bhilwara on Bhilwara-Kota state highway.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census, Beejoliya Kalan had a population of 12,384. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Beejoliya Kalan has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 59% of the males and 41% of females literate. 15% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Tourism

The Fort, mandakini temple & Shree Digambar Jain Parshwanath Atishaya Teerthkhshetra are main attractions. The fort is located on Bundi Chttaurgarh road. A high paved courtyard on the side of the fort has a large temple of Lord Shiva. A carved archway leads to the temple that has a fine image of Lord Ganesh. The Shiva temple is called Hajaresvara Mahadeva temple. It has a high linga surrounded by hundreds of small lingas and hence called Hajaresvara or Sahastralinga. Near by Mandakani Kund is a holy water tank.Other attractions are five Jain temples dedicated to Paraswnath and the remains of a palace and two rock inscriptions.

LIST OF PROTECTED MONUMENTS BY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA IN RAJASTHAN contains three sites from Bijolia village:

Bijolia inscription

Bijolia inscription dating back V.E. 1226 (1170 AD) is very important because it throws a new light on the early history of the Chauhan dynasty. and 1 of these 2 rock inscriptions is supposed to be the largest in Asia.

Shri Digambar Jain Parshwanath Atishay Kshetra

The Jain temples, situated about 1.5 km of the south east were built by Mahajan Lala in the time of the Chahamana king Someshvara in 1170 AD. One of them is considered sacred containing a complete small model of a temple inside. The rock inscriptions have both been dated to 1170 AD.

This is a Jain temple of Teerthankar Parshvanath of Jain religion. Bijoliya Teerth Kshetra is supposed to be the place of penance (Tapa Bhumi)of Lord Parsvanath, place of revolt (Upsarg Bhumi) by Kamattha (Enemy of Lord Parsvanath since previous lives) and place of achieving Kevalgyan (Super natural knowledge) and first place of Samavsharan of Lord Parsvanath. Some of the world’s great petroglyphs are available here. This place is supposed to be old more than 2750 years, as is clear by petroglyphs. The Kshetra is about 2 km ahead in south – east of Bijoliya Town.

In 1169(V.S. 1226) a famous businessman of Ujjain City Shri Lolark came here during his pilgrimage, saw a dream in night and came to know about the ancient idol of Lord Parsvanath. According to dream in the next morning he dug the place near a pond and thus a magnificent ancient idol of Lord Parsvanath appeared, some other idols of goddess Ambika, Padmawati, Shri Dharnendra & Kshetrapal were also found.

This temple was completed in 1169(V.S. 1226) and these idols were installed in this temple on the day Falgun Krishna 3, Thursday of V.S. 1226. This is Panchayatan Mandir (Temple) surrounded by a rampart.

Atishaya –

1. In year 1858 some Englishmen come here and saw the rampart surrounding the temple and vast petroglyphs, they thought about the hidden treasure here. So they applied mines of explosives around the petroglyph. Before they fire the explosive, suddenly dense flocks of honey bees attacked on them and they were compelled to run away, at the same time milk flooded out of mines.
2. In 1901(V.S. 1958) a wonder happened. Seeing the temple without a principal deity, devotees thought that a basement there might contain an idol of principal deity Lord Parsvanath. This was told to the king, who ordered an excavation to commence. Devotees and other persons went to the temple, where they saw a stone with ‘Sopan’ (which means stairs) written on it. The stone was removed and digging started, but suddenly a terrible white King Cobra appeared by the southern gate and stayed there. In result all the persons returned from the excavation site in vain.

Education

By air

The nearest Airport is Udaipur which is about 214 km away from Bijoliya.

By road

Bijoliya is situated on National Highway No. 27. Direct buses are available from Udaipur, Chittorgarh (105 km), Kota (69 km), Indore, Neemuch, etc.

By train

The nearest Railway station is "Upermal Railway Station" 8 km from city but there is no transport facility so it is batter to board at Kota Jn., Bundi or Mandalgarh.

Attractions

Heritage places in Bijolia
1.Bijolia Fort
2.Rock Inscriptions
Religious places in Bijolia
3.Hajaresvara temple
4.Paraswanath temple
5.Mandakini Baori
6. Vijay singh patik park
7. Shree Charbhuja nath bada mandir 8. Shree jagdish mandir 9. Bijan baori near jalburj 10. Bani ke balaji 11.Shree ashtbhujadhari ganesha 12.Maa vindhyavasini shaktipith 13.Shree muralimanohar temple