Shri Dadawadi Tirth

This temple, built in 1867, has an interesting history. In this area, there is a Jain shrine called Dada Bari dedicated to some prominent Jain saints like Dada Jin Dutt Suriji, etc.

It is here that Sri Badridas, the founder of the temple, used to come to pay homage to the saints and one day, seeing cruelty being done to the aquatics of a nearby tank, bought the whole plot, and with the inspiration from his mother (Srimati Kushal Kuvri), constructed this temple.It is very significant that the temple is dedicated to Sri Sitalnath, whose name literally means the "lord and protector of aquatics". A strange story surrounds the image of Sri Sitalnath that is installed in the sanctuary. It is said that after completing the construction, Sri Badridas consulted his preceptor, Sri Kalyan Suriji, as to which of the twenty-four tirthankaras this temple should be dedicated to and he was told that it should be Sri Sitalnath.In accordance with his advice, he went on a long journey in search of a suitable image but was baffled everywhere in this search. At last he arrived at Agra, and while attending a ceremonial procession, got into conversation with an unknown holy man to whom he narrated the purpose of his coming. Pondering over it for a while, the holy man took him to a place and pointed out that beneath the surface would be found the figure he was looking for.Next day, taking the holy man, he went to the place and had the Earth dug up. In the process, he came across a staircase, leading down to what appeared to be a cave. Sri Badridas immediately descended down the steps and at a considerable depth he was surprised to find a temple, in which he saw this figure of Sri Sitalnath. The oil-lamp was still burning and it appeared to him that someone had just left the place after offering worship. With due reverence, Sri Badridas immediately had the image taken out. On ascending the surface, he looked for the holy man who had directed him to the spot, but he was nowhere to be seen. The image was then brought to Calcutta and installed in this temple by his preceptor, Sri Kalyan Suriji.

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