Jainism in Maharashtra

Marathi Jain

Marathi Jain
Indra Sabha, Ellora Caves
Regions with significant populations
India<br /> Maharashtra
Languages
Marathi and Kannada
Religion
Jainism

Jainism has been present in Maharashtra since ancient times.<ref>Starr, Kelsey Jo (17 August 2021). "6 facts about Jains in India". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 17 March 2025.</ref> The famous Ellora Caves demonstrate that Jainism was part of a thriving religious culture in Maharashtra in premodern times.<ref>"Bot Verification". jainavenue.org. Retrieved 23 December 2024. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)</ref>

History

981 A.D. Marathi inscription at the foot of Bahubali statue at Jain temple in Shravanabelagola is one of the earliest known Marathi inscription found. It was derived from Jain-Prakrit language.

Jainism in Maharashtra has a long history. The oldest inscription in Maharashtra is a 2nd-century BC Jain inscription in a cave near Pale village in the Pune District. It was written in the Jain Prakrit and includes the Navkar Mantra. The first Marathi inscription known is at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka near the left foot of the statue of Bahubali, dated 981 CE.

Jainism in Maharashtra was patronised by many rulers such kings from the Shilaharas and Rashtrakuta. Many of forts were built by kings from these dynasties and thus Jain temples or their remains are found in them. Texts such as the Shankardigvijaya and Shivlilamruta suggest that a large number of Marathi people followed Jainism in the ancient period.

Jain communities in present day Maharashtra

Kumbhoj Jain temple

There are many native Jain communities in present day Maharashtra. The communities tend to be endogamous, and generally do not intermarry with the Jains who have arrived from North India. They belong to the Digambar sect. The four largest communities by numbers are:

• Saitwal, originally Tailors and Cloth Merchants
• Chaturtha, originally agriculturists, now engaged in various professions
• Panchama, various professions
• Kasar, traditionally coppersmiths

Each of the above communities are affiliated to their own Matha and led by the Matha leader called Bhattaraka. In addition to the above four, there are several smaller native Maharashtrian Jain communities.

• Upajjhaya
• Kamboja<ref>Bhanu, B. V. (2004). People of India: Maharashtra - Kumar Suresh Singh, Anthropological Survey of India - Google Boeken. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 9788179911013. Retrieved 24 April 2012.</ref><ref>Hassan, Syed Siraj ul (1989). The Castes and Tribes of H.E.H. the Nizam's Dominions - Syed Siraj Ul Hassan - Google Boeken. ISBN 9788120604889. Retrieved 24 April 2012.</ref>
• Harada
• Jabade, Jain community in Maharashtra
• Dhakad A small Jain community found primarily in Western Vidarbha districts of Akola, Yavatmal, Washim and Amravati.

Religious organizations

Main article: Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha

The Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha, Veer Seva Dal are religious and social service organization of the Jains of South India. The organization is headquartered at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India.<ref>Bhanu, B. V. (2004). People of India: Maharashtra - Kumar Suresh Singh - Google Books. ISBN 9788179911006. Retrieved 30 January 2013.</ref> The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India.<ref>Carrithers, Michael; Humphrey, Caroline (4 April 1991). The Assembly of Listeners: Jains in Society - Google Books. ISBN 9780521365055. Retrieved 30 January 2013.</ref><ref>Markham, Ian S.; Sapp, Christy Lohr (26 May 2009). A World Religions Reader - Google Books. ISBN 9781405171090. Retrieved 30 January 2013.</ref> The organization mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra (Marathi Jains) and Karnataka (Kannada Jains).

Main article: Jainism in Mumbai

Jain Tirthas and Temples

Painting inside Indra Sabha cave at Ellora Caves

Cave temple

• Ellora Jain Caves
• Nasik Caves
• Manmodi Caves
• Mangi-Tungi

Main temple

• Shantinath Jain Teerth
• Gajpanth
• Kumbhoj
• Shantinath Jain Teerth
• Shantinath temple, Ramtek
• Jahaj Mandir, Mandwala<ref>Jahaj mandir Archived 13 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine</ref>
• Jintur
• Godiji Parshwanath Temple, Mumbai
• Nemgiri in Parbhani district
• Katraj Tirth
• Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji Jain Temple, Walkeshwar
• Antarikṣa Pārśvanātha Śvetāmbara Tīrtha
• Shree Vimalnath Bhagwan Tirth, Sakri
• Shirpurji teerth, Dhule district, Nashik
• Pashvanath Jain Temple, Nijampur Dhule
• Shri 1008 Mallinath Digamber Jain Atishaya Kshetra, Shirad Shahpur
• Shri vimalnatha swami Jain shwetambar temple in Bibwewadi
• Kachner Jain temple in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
• Paithan Jain Tirth
• Trimurti Digambar Jain Mandir in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali
• Shree Mahavir Jain Temple in Pimpri-Chinchwad near Pune
• Shri Digamber Jain Siddha Kshetra Kunthalgiri, Dist. Osmanabad, Maharashtra

Shri Kalikund Parshwanatha Digambar Jain Kshetra, Kundal Sangli.

Gallery

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150"> File:Ellora-Jain-cave.jpg|Jain cave in Ellora File:Shri 1008 Shantinath Jain Temple.JPG|Shantinath Jain Teerth, Indapur, Pune File:0101821 Shantinath Jain Mandir, Ramtek, Maharashtra 079.jpg|Shantinath temple, Ramtek File:23rd Tirthankara Parshva Parsvanath Parshvanatha Jainism India.jpg|Idol of Lord Shri Parshvanath at Kachner File:Lord_Mahaveer_at_dharashiv_cave.jpg|Lord Mahaveer at Dharashiv Caves </gallery> Shri Kalikund Parshwanatha Digambar Jain Kshetra

Notable Marathi Jains

• V. Shantaram
• Walchand Hirachand
• Ajit Gulabchand
• Akshar Kothari
• Sandhya Shantaram
• Kiran Shantaram
• Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil
• Bal Patil
• Suresh Jain
• Raju Shetti
• Vidyadhar Johrapurkar
• Nirmalkumar Phadkule
• Vilas Adinath Sangave
• Dhulappa Bhaurao Navale
• Kallapa Awade
• Rajendra Patil
• Justice Bhalchandra Vagyani
• Dhananjay Gunde
• Annasaheb Latthe

See also

• Jainism in Mumbai
• Acharya Shantisagar
• Acharya Vidyasagar

External links

• JainConnect.org - Newly evolving Online Portal/Directory for Jain Community
• A portal to connect jains and discuss about Jainism and other things
• Jain Tirthas in Maharashtra
• Ellora
• History Of Maharashtra