Jainism had very close relations with western
India, that is, Gujarat and Kathiawar, where we find the largest
concentration of the Jainas at present. Here on the Mount Girnar in
Junagarh district, Lord Neminath, the 22nd Tirthankara of the Jainas,
attained salvation. Here in the Council of Jaina ascetics held at Valabhi
in the year 993 after Lord Mahavira, that is, in 466 A.D., the Jaina canon
was, for the first time, reduced to writing. Just as south India is the
stronghold of Digambara Jainas, similarly, west India is the center of
activities of Svetambara Jainas.
Regarding the migration of
Jainas to these parts of India, it is thought that the migrations must
have taken place by 300 B.C. from Eastern India. In this connection the
Cambridge History of India has given the following conclusion:
"From the facts that the
Jainas tell us something about the regions of Chandragupta Maurya and his
son Bindusara but at the same time they have practically nothing to tell
about the reigns of Ashok and his successors in East India and that the
division of the Jaina Church into two great sects of the Digambaras and
Svetambaras had probably begun after the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. It
is concluded that the Jainas were probably already at this time, i.e., 300
B.C., gradually losing their position in the kingdom of Magadha, and that
they had begun their migration towards the western part of India, where
they settled and where they have retained their settlements to the present
day."
In Gujarat
Jainism flourished in
Gujarat during the days of Rastrakuta monarchs, many of whom were devout
Jainas, and it received a further fillip at the hands of that veteran
Jaina ruler Vanaraja of Chavada family. About 1100 A.D., Jainism gained a
great ascendancy when the Chalukya king Siddharaja and his successor
Kumarapala openly professed Jainism and encouraged the literary and temple
building activities of the Jainas.
During the days of Baghelas
in the 13th century A.D. Jainism received patronage through the hands of
Vastupal and Tejapal, the two famous Jaina ministers of the time. They
were responsible for constructing the beautiful temple-cities at
Satrunjaya, Girnar and Abu.
Afterwards, even though
Jainism did not receive the royal patronage as before, still it continued
to hold its position and the numerical and financial strength of Jainas
gave their religion a place of honor which is acknowledged even to this
day.
In MAHARASHTRA
As in Gujarat, in the
region of Maharashtra also the Jaina religion had settled and flourished
from ancient times. In Jaina religion the siddha-ksetras, that is,
the places from where Jaina saints and great souls had attained salvation,
are considered sacred and ancient places of veneration and such
siddha-ksetras are found at as many as four places in Maharashtra,
that is, at Gajapantha (Dist. Nasik), Mangi-tuni (Dist. Khandesh),
Kunthalgiri (Dist. Oosmanabad) and Muktagiri (Dist Amraoti). In this
connection it is worthwhile to note that such a siddhaksetra is not
there in the entire area of south India. Further, it is evident from
ancient Prakrit Jaina literature that Lord Mahavira the 24th Tirthankar,
had visited the Marathavada region of Maharashtra during his religious
propagation tour of different parts of India. Moreover, in Jaina religion
the mountain-caves and cave-temples are considered more ancient and sacred
and in northern India such Jaina caves are found only in Udayagiri and
Khandagiri hills in Orissa. But in Maharashtra such ancient cave-temples,
in developed forms, are found at Ellora (Dist. Aurangabad), Ter (Dist.
Oosmanabad) Anjaneri (Dist. Nashik) and at many other places in the
interior areas. In this respect it is asserted from recent archaeological
researches that out of total number of Jaina caves and cave-temples in
India. Maharashtra has got the largest number, that is more than 75
percent. Again, it is pertinent to note that from ancient times the seats
of respected Bhattarakas, that is, religious heads, and their mathas,
that is, monasteries were located at different places in Maharashtra
like Kolhapur and Nandani in western region. Later in Marathavada region
and Karanja and Nagpur in Vidarbha region in Maharashtra. Similarly it is
quite clear from literary evidences that from ancient times most renowned
and influential Jaina saints like Acharya Samantabhadra. Virasena,
Jinasena and Somadeva were intimately connected with Maharashtra also and
had composed their sacred works and literary masterpieces in this region.
Furthermore, it is remarkable to find that before the advent of Muslim
rule in Maharashtra, continuously from the 3rd century A.D. the powerful
ruling dynasties like the Satavahanas of Paithan. Chalukyas of Kalyan,
Rastrakutas of Malakhed, Yadavas of Devagiri and Silaharas of Kolhapur and
Konkan had extended their royal patronage, in a large measure to Jaina
religion.
As a result we find that
the Jainas and the Jaina religion had a prestigious position in
Maharashtra during the ancient and medieval periods. The same position is
continued to the present day and in this regard it is pertinent to note
that the largest proportion of Jaina population in India today is found in
Maharashtra. According to 1981 Census of India, out of the total Jaina
population of 32,06.038 in India, the largest number of Jainas, viz.
9.39,392 are in Maharashtra and next to Maharashtra the population of
Jainas in other states is Rajasthan (6,24,317), Gujarat (4,67,768), Madhya
Pradesh (4,44,960), Karnatak (2,97,974), Uttar Pradesh (1,41,549) and
Delhi (73,917). It means that out of total Jaina population in India the
largest, that is, 29.3 percent Jainas are in Maharashtra followed by 19.5
percent in Rajasthan, 14.6 percent in Gujarat and 13.9 percent in Madhya
Pradesh. In other words, as many as 43.9 percent of the total Jainas in
India are concentrated in western India comprising the states of
Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is thus evident that western India is the
stronghold of Jaina religion.
