Jainism in Bundelkhand

Parshvanatha temple, Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Bundelkhand, in the heart of India, has been an ancient centre of Jainism. It is mostly in modern Madhya Pradesh, but part of it is in Uttar Pradesh.

Bundelkhand was known as Dasharna or Jaijakabhukti in ancient times. The Betwa (Vetravati) and Dhasan (Dasharna) rivers flow through it.

It is one of the few regions in India where Jainism has a strong presence and influence. There are many ancient tirthas in Bundelkhand. Many of the modern scholars of Jainism are from this region.

Prominent tirthas

Many of the famous Jain tirthas, Vidisha, Deogarh, Lalitpur, Karguanji (Jhansi), Chanderi, Kundalpur, Khajuraho, Aharji, Paporaji, Drongir (chhatarpur), Sonagir, Nainagiri, Badagaon, Pateriaji Nisaiji etc. are in this region.

Jain communities

Bundelkhand is home to several Jain communities:

• Parwar
• Golapurva
• Golalare
• Taranpanthi (including Samiya, Charanagare and Ayodhyavasi)
• Kathanere

The Khandelwals are originally from Rajasthan, but they have been present in Bundelkhand since ancient times.

Navalsah Chanderia in 1768 in his Vardhamana Purana mentioned 11 communities that were partly Jain. These include

• Grihapati
• Nema
• Asati

A few among them are still Jain and follow the Taranpanthi sect.

भगवतोर्हतः चन्द्रप्रभस्य प्रतिमेऽयं कारिता महाराजाधिराज-श्री-रामगुप्तेन उपदेशात् पाणिपात्रिक-चन्द्रक्षमाचार्य्य-क्षमण-श्रमण-प्रशिष्य-आचार्य्य सर्प्पसेन-क्षमण-शिष्यस्य गोलक्यान्त्या-सत्पुत्रस्य चेलु-क्षमणस्येति

The Ramagupta inscription found near Vidisha 375 CE

The Bhadavar region (Bhind, Morena, Etawah) is adjacent to Bundelkhand and is home to

• Barhiya
• Golalare
• Kharaua
• Padmavati Purwar
• Lamenchu
• Jaiswal
• Golsinghare
• Budhele

Gallery

• 
  45 feet tall rock cut idol of Rishabhanatha at Chanderi
• 
  Shantinath Temple at Deogarh
• 
  Kundalpur Tirth
• 
  Maladevi Temple, Vidisha
• 
  Paporaji
• 
  Pateriaji

See also

• Mula Sangh
• Balatkara Gana
• Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh

References

• http://bundelkhanddarshan.com
• Digambar Jain Tirth in Bundelkhand
• Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001.
• Siddhantacharya Pt. Phulachandra Shastri, Parwar Jain samaj ka Itihas, Jabalpur, 1990.