Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle bein ...

has had a notable following in

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

. According to the 2011 Census of India, around 0.959% of the population of Gujarat is Jain. There are several old Jain temples that draw pilgrims from Jains around the world in places such as

Palitana Pālītāṇā is a city in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. It is located 50 km southwest of Bhavnagar city and is a major pilgrimage centre ("shashwat tirth") for Jains. It is first of the two vegetarian cities in the world. Histo ...

, Taranga, Sankheshwar, Idar.

History

Jains believe that their 22nd

Tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...

(propagators of Jain religion)

Neminath Neminatha, also known as Nemi and Arishtanemi, is the twenty-second ''tirthankara'' (ford-maker) in Jainism. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminatha is one of the twenty four ''tirthankaras'' who attract the most devoti ...

attained

Moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologic ...

Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...

Girnar Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India. Geology Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. The rock types identified in this complex are ga ...

in Gujarat. Many other monks have also got attained Moksha in Gujarat; especially on the holy mountains of Girnar and Shatrunjaya. The

Jain councils There are several Jain councils mentioned in Jain texts associated with revision and redaction of Jain Agamas (sacred texts). The first council was held at Pataliputra. The second councils were probably held simultaneously at Mathura and Vallabhi ...

were held in

Vallabhi Vallabhi (or Valabhi or Valabhipur, modern Vala; Devanāgarī: वल्लभी) is an ancient city located in the Saurashtra peninsula of Gujarat, near Bhavnagar in western India. It is also known as Vallabhipura and was the capital of the S ...

c. 5th century CE. Their canonical scriptures were written down during this council. King

Vanaraja Chavda Vanaraja (IAST: Vanarāja Cāvaḍā) was the most prominent king of the Chavda dynasty who ruled Gujarat from c. 746 CE to c. 780 CE. Life Early life Kṛishṇabhaṭṭa’s (also known as Kṛṣṇakavi) ''Ratnamālā'' () says that in 695 ...

(c. 720-780 CE) of the

Chavda dynasty The Chavda (IAST:Chávaḍá), also spelled Chawda or Chavada was a dynasty which ruled the region of modern-day Gujarat in India, from c. 690 to 942. Variants of the name for the dynasty include Chapotkatas, Chahuda and Chávoṭakas. During ...

was brought up by a Jain monk named Shilaguna Suri.

Jain temples A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings g ...

are found in Gujarat from as early as the 6th and 7th centuries CE. It was patronized by the Chaulukyas and

Chavada The Chavda (IAST:Chávaḍá), also spelled Chawda or Chavada was a dynasty which ruled the region of modern-day Gujarat in India, from c. 690 to 942. Variants of the name for the dynasty include Chapotkatas, Chahuda and Chávoṭakas. During ...

s. Dhank Caves (3rd-7th century CE) in Rajkot district has Jain Tirthankara carvings. Northern Gujarat became a principle center of Jainism in the 13th century CE. The earliest known

Old Gujarati Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

text ''Bharat-Bahubali Ras'', was written by a Jain monk Shalibhadra Suri. Of the most important people in Gujarat's Jain history were the Acharya

Hemachandra Hemachandra was a 12th century () Indian Jain saint, scholar, poet, mathematician, philosopher, yogi, grammarian, law theorist, historian, lexicographer, rhetorician, logician, and prosodist. Noted as a prodigy by his contemporaries, he gain ...

Suri and his pupil, the

Chaulukya The Chaulukya dynasty (), also Solanki dynasty, was a dynasty that ruled parts of what are now Gujarat and Rajasthan in north-western India, between and . Their capital was located at Anahilavada (modern Patan). At times, their rule extende ...

ruler Kumarapala.

Major Centers

Major ancient Jain centers include: *

* Bhadreshwar *

Mahudi Mahudi is a town in Mansa taluka of Gandhinagar district, Gujarat, India situated on the banks of Madhumati river, a tributary of Sabarmati River. It is a pilgrimage centre of Jains and other communities visiting temple of Jain deity, Ghanta ...

Shankheshwar Shankheshwar is a town in the Patan district of Gujarat state of India. It is an important place of pilgrimage for the followers of Jainism. History The village is considered a place of great antiquity. Jain Acharya Merutunga had mentioned t ...

* Patan * Taranga *

Songadh Songadh is a taluka in Tapi district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Geography Fort Songadh is located at . It has an average elevation of 112 metres (367 feet). The town is located at the foot of a solitary hill, the surrounding a ...

Ahmedabad Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per ...

Photo gallery

File:Sheth Hutheesinh Temple.jpg,

Hutheesing Jain Temple Hutheesing Temple is a Jain temple in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. It was constructed in 1848 by Hutheesing family. The temple blends the old Maru-Gurjara temple architecture style with new architectural elements of ''haveli'' in its design. ...

File:Kutch Bhadreshwar Jain Temple.jpg,

Vasai Jain Temple Bhadreshwar Jain Temple, also known as Vasai Jain Temple, is a historical importance located in Bhadreshwar village of Mundra Taluka, Kutch, Gujarat, India. History According to Bantvijaya Chronicles, a 19th-century Jain scripture composed b ...

, Bhadreshwar File:Samovsaran Mandir Palitana 02.jpg, Samovsaran Mandir, Palitana Teerth File:Girnar Jain temple - Neminath temple.jpg,

File:Tarangaji Jain temple.jpg, Taranga File:Vanki - Patri Jain Mandir.jpg, Vanki - Patri Jain Mandir, Kutch File:Mahudi Temple.jpg, Mahudi Jain Temple File:Shri Shantinath Jain Derasar, Kothara, Kutch.JPG, Shri Shantinath Jain Derasar, Kothara File:Jain Temple, Pavagadh (cropped).jpg,

Shri Pavagadh Tirth Jain temples, Pavagadh is a group of seven Jain temples located in Pavagadh Hill in the state of Gujarat. These temples are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park. Jain tradition Pavagadh hill is cons ...

, part of Champaner-Pavagadh a

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

File:Polo Monument and Vijaynagar Forest- Jain Temples (cropped).jpg, Jain temples, Abhapur

Notes

References

* * * Jain communities Jainism in India Religion in Gujarat History of Gujarat {{Jainism-stub

History

Major Centers

Photo gallery

See also

Notes

References