Kamaldah Jain Temple, Patna

Kamaldah Jain Temple, Patna

This is an 18th century Jain temple situated close to Gulzarbagh railway station in Patna, a little further east of Agam Kuan/Shitala Devi temple. There is, however, another temple, much later in construction, situated close to it. This place has traditionally been associated with the birth of the renowned Jain teacher, Sthulabhadra. The high mound of the brick ruins, that this temple overlies, might suggest some greater antiquity of the site than this late medieval temple.

The temple contains a valuable inscription giving details of its construction. It was built in 1729 A.D. (Vikram Sanvat 1848) by the congregation of the faithful of the Jain Order of Patliputra, and that the temple was dedicated to Shri Sthulabhadra, the great Jain sage of the yore. Significantly, this is the only historical inscription that confirms the identity of Patliputra with Patna.