Jainism in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh, a state in north India has a long association with Jainism. Today the state is home to a number of Jain monuments, such as Jain Temples and Jain Tirths.

History

Parshvanatha, the twenty-third tirthankara, was born in Benaras (now Varanasi) in 872 BCE. According to Jain tradition, Kashi (now Varanasi) is the birthplace of three more tithankaras, namely Suparshvanatha, Chandraprabha and Shreyansanatha.

According to Jain tradition, five tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya, including Rishabhanatha, Ajitanatha, Abhinandananatha, Sumatinatha and Anantanatha.

The famous naked Jain male torso found at Lohanipur, whether Mauryan or, more likely Kushana, is generally taken as indicative evidence of some sort of representational cult in early Jainism which reached an early height at Mathura, and certainly inscriptions from the many ayagapatas of the Mathura region make clear that puja to the tirthankaras with lay and ascetic involvement was an important dimension to this.

Bundelkhand

Main article: Jainism in Bundelkhand

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.

Deogarh

Main article: Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh § Jain temples

The fort temples are dominated by the Jain temples in the eastern part of the hill fort; the images here are mostly of the "iconographic and the stylistic variety". The Jain temples have a large number of panels depicting scenes from Jain mythology, tirthankara images and votive tablets. The pillars are carved with a thousand figures.

Prominent Tirthas

• Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir, Hastinapur
• Ayodhya
• Sarnath
• Parshvnath DigamberJain Atishya Kshetra, Vahelna, Muzaffarnagar
• Bada Gaon in Baghpat
• Shri Vimalnath Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra in Kampil, Farrukhabad district

Photo Gallery

• 
  Entrance to the Digambara Jain temple complex.
• 
  Sridigamber Jain Temple, Singhpuri, Sarnath, near Varanasi, the birthplace of Shreyanasanatha.
• 
  Interior of the Digambara Jain Temple dedicated to Shreyanasanatha, the eleventh tirthankara, Sarnath
• 
  Images of tirthankaras in the Deogarh fort temple
• 
  Pillar with a thousand images in the Jain temple in the Deogarh fort
• 
  The Deogarh Shantinath Temple columns in the fort show monks
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  Jain Ghat, Varanasi, UP, India
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  Kailash Parvat Rachna
• 
  Shri Digamber Jain Bada Mandir
• 
  Jambudweep Rachna
• 
  Bada Gaon
• 
  Parshvanath Jain temple, Varanasi

References

• Patrick Olivelle, ed. (2006), Between the Empires : Society in India 300 BCE to 400 CE, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530532-6
• Zimmer, Heinrich (1953) [April 1952], Campbell, Joseph (ed.), Philosophies Of India, London, E.C. 4: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd, ISBN 978-81-208-0739-6, This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |editorlink= ignored (|editor-link= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: location (link)