Karanja Lad

Shri Guru Mandir Entrance

Karanja is famous for its Nrusimha Saraswati Swami Maharaj temple. Shri Nrusimha Saraswati Gurumaharaj is the second avatar (incarnation) of Lord Dattatreya. Born in Karanja in 1378, he traveled far and wide in what is now known as the States of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He achieved Sainthood and performed several miracles. He imparted spiritual knowledge to his disciples, many of whom themselves attained Sainthood. The Gurumandir Temple conducts several major events to celebrate the various avatars of Lord Dattatreya. Over the past 100 years, Gurumandir has become a nucleus for religious and social welfare activities in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region.

Other old temples are Vitthal mandir, Chote Ram mandir and as well as famous "Kannao Ram mandir". Each year Ramnavami and other Hindu religious activities are performed in these temples.

Karanja is the only place in India that had been the set of three Bhatarakas representing three Digambar Jain traditions: Balatkar Gana, Sena Gana and Kastha Sangh. The Balatkar Gana seat had relocated from Manyakheta.[6]

There are four major Digambar Jain temples in Karanja. The Kastha Sangh temple has extraordinary wooden carvings dating back to at least 14th century. The Sena Gana temple has a "pat" (scroll) painting depicting the Panchkalyanak ceremonies of Jain Tirthankars. This scroll is painted in the Rajasthani style and is around 800 years old. Balatkar Gana temple has a collection of rare manuscripts. In 1926, Prof. Hiralal Jain had discovered 12 unknown Apabhramsha manuscripts here. They were later edited and published, supported by local donors.[7]

Karanja is known as the "Kashi" of Jainism. Also famous is the "Mahaveer Brahmacharyashram" or Gurukul. This place is the site of the first Gurukul founded by Acharya Shri 108 Samantabhadra in 1918 AD, it celebrated its ‘Shatakpurti Mahotsav’ in 2018. The Karanja gurukul has a beautiful Jain temple and hostel and education facilities. The Karanja institution was the first of 11 Gurukuls established by Acharya Samantabhadra. Gurukuls based this pattern was later started in Maharashtra (Bahubali, Ellora, Kunthalgiri), Khurai in Madhya Pradesh,[8] and Karnataka (Stawawidhi, Karkal, Terdal, Bellad Bagewadi).[9] The famous Berkeley scholar of Buddhism and Jainism Padmanabh Jaini was a student of the Karanja Gurukul.

Karanja is also known as Karanja Bibi such as name refer by BiBi Saheba's Dargah in the bibi Sahebapura. Karanja Lad is also famous for its mosques. There are as many as 60 mosques in Karanja. The more famous are the Jama Masjid which is a historical mosque built in 981 Hijri(1573) in Mughal Era, and other mosques are Nagina Masjid, Moti Masjid, Qila Masjid, Usmaniya Masjid, Nawab Subhan Khan Masjid, Dapnipura Masjid, GawliPura Masjid, Anwar Masjid, Masjid-E-Umar Farooq (Sarai), Mangalwara Masjid, Makkah Masjid, Madina Masjid, Masjid-E- Fiel, Qalandariya Masjid, Bilal Masjid,Faizan e Madina Masjid, Muhamaddiya Masjid, Imaampura Masjid, Masjid-E-Gaus-E-Azam and Daipura Masjid, Sabira Masjid Madarsa and Masjid-E-Fatema. Karanja is also known for the Bibi Sahab Dargah, Al Kabeer Dargah, Faizullah Shah Dargah (Fazal Safa), Dulha Rahman Dargha and Lal Imam shah Dargha near Jama Masjid.

Built in 1905, Kannao Mansion is famous for its use of French/Italian architecture. Tourists from all over the world come to admire its beauty. Kannao Mansion is a 100+-year-old replica of Shrilanka Queen Bungalow. It was also featured in the Marathi channel.

Delhi Gate Karanja Lad

The Kannao Bungalow has 307 doors. This is a very old wake of Karanja. And here is saffron musk. This is also included in the Historical Place. Saffron musk is said to have been told that the king of the two thousand sweets was used for the reception of the queen. NAWAB SUBHAN KHAN constructed a wall and four doors around Karanja, namely the Delhi Gate, the Darwha Gate, the Mangrul Gate, and the Poha Gate.