Jainism in Delhi
Encyclopedia
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
is an ancient center of Jainism
Jainism
Jainism is an Indian religion that prescribes a path of non-violence towards all living beings. Its philosophy and practice emphasize the necessity of self-effort to move the soul towards divine consciousness and liberation. Any soul that has conquered its own inner enemies and achieved the state...
, home to over 165 Jain temples. Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
has a large population of Jains spread all over the city. It has had continued presenece of a Jain community throughout its history, and it is still a major Jain center.
Rajput period
In Delhi, during the Tomara dynasty, the Jain poet Vibudh ShridharVibudh Shridhar
Vibudh Shridhar or Vibudha Shridhara was an accomplished Apabhramsha writer and poet in North India. He is the first known Agrawal author...
wrote the Apabhramsa work Pasanah Chariu "The Conduct of Parshva
Parshva
Pārśva or Paras was the twenty-third Tirthankara "Ford-Maker" in Jainism . He is the earliest Jain leader generally accepted as a historical figure. Pārśva was a nobleman belonging to the Kshatriya varna....
" in VS 1189 with the support of a Jain merchant prince, Nattal Sahu
Nattal Sahu
Nattal Sahu of Yoginipur is the earliest known Agrawal merchant-prince, who lived during the reign Tomara king, Anangapal. His life's account is described in Apabhramsha text Pasanaha Cariu of poet Vibudh Shridhar, written in Vikrama Samvat 1189 .Nattal's father was Sahu Joja...
. This book provides the very first account of the city of Delhi and the first mention of the Agrawal
Agrawal
Agrawal or Agarwal is a large and influential community in India. Agrawals are Kshatriya by birth of the Solar Dynasty but after the adoption of Vanika dharma by king Agrasena, Agrawals started dealing in business...
community. Agrawals continue to be the major business community in and around Delhi. Vibudh Shridhar is the first known Agrawal author. His Pasanah Chariu provides the first reference to the Agrawal community and the first historical reference to the legend of the origin of the name Dilli for Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
.
हरियाणए देसे असंखगाम, गामियण जणि अणवरथ काम|परचक्क विहट्टणु सिरिसंघट्टणु, जो सुरव इणा परिगणियं|
रिउ रुहिरावट्टणु बिउलु पवट्टणु, ढिल्ली नामेण जि भणियं|
Hariyāṇaē dēsē asaṅkhagāma, gāmiyaṇa jaṇi aṇavaratha kāma. Paracakka vihaṭṭaṇu sirisaṅghaṭṭaṇu, jō surava iṇā parigaṇiyaṁ. Riu ruhirāvaṭṭaṇu biulu pavaṭṭaṇu, ḍhillī nāmēṇa ji bhaṇiyaṁ|
There are countless villages in Haryana country. The villagers there work hard. They don't accept domination of others, and are experts in making the blood of their enemies flow. Indra himself praises this country. The capital of this country is ḍhillī.
जहिं असिवर तोडिय रिउ कवालु, णरणाहु पसिद्धउ अणंगवालु || वलभर कम्पाविउ णायरायु, माणिणियण मणसंजनीय ||
Jahiṁ asivara tōḍiya riu kavālu, ṇaraṇāhu pasiddha'u aṇaṅgavālu || valabhara kampāviu ṇāyarāyu, māṇiṇiyaṇa maṇasan̄janīya.
"The ruler Anangapala is famous, he can slay his enemies with his sword. The weight caused the NagarajaNagarajaNagaraja is a Sanskrit word from naga and raj meaning King of Snakes. It is applied to three main deities, Anantha , Takshak, and Vasuki. Anantha, Vasuki and Takshak are brothers, children of Kashyap and Kadru, who are the parents of all snakes...
to shake."
Manidhari Jinchandra Suri visited Delhi (then often called Yoginipur) during the rule of the Tomara king Madanpal. He died in Samvat 1223. His samadhi is now known as the Mehrauli
Mehrauli
Mehrauli is a neighbourhood in the South West district of Delhi in India. It represents a constituency in the legislative assembly of Delhi. The area is located close to Gurgaon.-History:...
Dada Bari.
Khilji period
Alauddin KhiljiAlauddin Khilji
Ali Gurshap Khan better known by his titular name as Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji was the second ruler of the Turko-Afghan Khilji dynasty in India.He was a well and capable ruler. He belonged to the Afghanized Turkic tribe of the Khiljis...
recruited Thakkar Pheru
Thakkar Pheru
Thakkar Pheru was a 14th century author of encyclopedic books on coins and gems in Delhi.Alauddin Khilji recruited Thakkar Pheru a Shrimal Jain from Kannauj in Haryana as a treasurer. He was an expert in coins, metals and gems...
a Shrimal Jain
Shrimal Jain
Shrimal Jain is an ancient Jain community originally from the Shrimal or Bhinmal town in southern Rajasthan.They mainly reside in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh...
from Kannana in Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
as a treasurer. He was an expert in coins, metals and gems. For the benefit of his son Hemapal, he wrote several books on related subjects including Dravya Prariksha on metals and various coins; and Ratna Pariksha
Ratna Pariksha
Ratna Pariksha is an ancient science on testing gemstones. This art was used by Kosadhyaksha mentioned in Kautilya's Arthashastra in order to control business of pearl, diamonds and all important gems in the ancient times...
on various precious gems stones. He was continuously employed until the rule of Ghiasuddin Tughluq
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq
Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq , real name Ghazi Malik was the founder and first ruler of the Turkic Muslim Tughluq dynasty in India, who reigned over Sultanate of Delhi . He has been the founder of the third city of Delhi called Tughluqabad.Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq was in origin a poor Qarauna who took...
.
Tughlaq period
Delhi was the location where the DigambaraDigambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
Bhattaraka
Bhattaraka
A Bhaṭṭāraka is the head of traditional Jain institutions. They are responsible for training of scholars, maintenance of libraries, managing the endowments, presiding over the installation ceremonies and running of Jain institutions....
institution was initiated according to some authors. Bhaṭṭāraka Prabhachandra, who was the disciple of Bhaṭṭāraka Ratnakirti of Ajmer, visited Delhi at the invitation of the lay Jains there. He visited the Muslim ruler Firuz Shah Tughluq
Firuz Shah Tughluq
-External links:*...
, who had a Jain minister named Chand Shah. At Ferozshah's request, he visited his inner courtyard. Until that time, Prabhachandra used to be without clothes, but at Chand Sah's request, he wore a loincloth. Bakhtavar Shah in his Buddhi Prakash writes:
दिल्लि के पातिसाहि भये पेरोजसाहि जब,
चान्दौ साह प्रधान भट्टारक प्रभाचन्द्र तब,
आये दिल्ली मांझि वात जीते विद्यावर,
साहि रीझि कै करै दरसन अन्तहपुर,
तिह समै लिंगोट लिवाय पुनि चांद विनती उच्चरी
मानि हैं जती जुत वस्त्र हम श्रावक सौगन्द करी ||616||
However Paramanad Shasti has suggested that Prabhachandra must have visited earlier, during the time of b. Tughluq. Prabhachandra's disciples Dhanapal and Bramha Nathuram has described his visit to Delhi. Bahubali Charit states that in a great festival Ratnakirti anointed Prabhachandra. Muhammad had the pleasure of listening to Prabhachandra, who had defeated other scholars in disputations:
तहिं भव्यहिं सुमहोच्छव विहियउ, सिरिरयणकित्ति पट्टेणिहियउ |
महमंद साहिमणुरंजिउ,विज्जहिवाइयमणुभंजिउ ||
Prabhachandra was thus the first Bhattaraka of Delhi in 1385CE When the prashati of the Bhattrakas of Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola
Shravana Belgola is a city located in the Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is 158 km from Bangalore. The statue of Gommateshvara Bahubali at Śravaṇa Beḷgoḷa is one of the most important pilgrimage destinations in Jainism, one that reached a peak in architectural and sculptural...
is recited, other Bhattaraka seats are mentioned, the first among them being Yoginipur (Delhi).
All the Bhattarakas of North India belonging to the Balatkara Gana
Balatkara Gana
Balatkara Gana is an ancient Jain monastic order. It is a section of the Mula Sangh. It is often termed Balatkara Gana Sarasvati Gachchha....
of Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh is an ancient Jain monastic order . Mula literally means the "root" or the original order.Mula-Sangh has been the main Digambar Jain order. Today the Digambar Jain tradition is synonymous with Mula Sangha. The great Acharya Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh...
belong to the lineage established by Bhaṭṭāraka Padmanadi, the successor of Prabhachandra.
The Bhaṭṭāraka tradition in Delhi survived until the British rule, and the Shri Parsvanath Jain Mandir temple in Subji mandi is still known as the Bhaṭṭāraka Temple.
Jinaprabh Suri and Vividha Tirtha Kalpa
Jinaprabh Suri, who had wandered over a large part of India and written an account of various tirthaTirtha
In Jainism, a tīrtha |ford]], a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha...
s during Samvat 1364-1389, lived in Delhi during the rule of b. Tughluq and wrote parts of the Vividha Tirtha Kalpa there. A Jain idol originally at Hansi
Hansi
Hansi is a city and a municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. Its 2011 population is estimated to be 1,34,568. It is located at a distance of east of Hisar on National Highway 10. Geographically, it is semi-arid with around 46 cm of annual rainfall. It appears...
which was in the royal storage, was released with his efforts. It is now said to be located at the Jain temple at Chelpuri in Delhi.
Mughal period
Both Akbar and JahangirJahangir
Jahangir was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until his death. The name Jahangir is from Persian جهانگیر,meaning "Conqueror of the World"...
, who had their capital at Agra, invited and met Jain monks. Shahjahan moved his capital to Delhi after building the walled city of Delhi called Shahjahanabad.
Several Jain, such as Sahu Todar
Sahu Todar
Sahu Todar , an Agrawal Jain, was a supervisor of the royal mint at Agra during the rule of Akbar . He was a patron of scholars and had repaired ancient monuments of Mathura....
served as the imperial treasurers during the Mughal rule.
A part of Shahjahanabad was allocated to the Jains on the south side of the Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk
Chandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
canal, close to the imperial residence (qila-mubarak, now known as the Red Fort). The Jains were permitted to have a temple during 1658 in Urdu Bazar
Urdu Bazar
The Urdu Bazar was a major market in the walled city of Delhi, India that connected the canal in the middle of Chandni Chowk to Jama Masjid. The original market was destroyed in the aftermath of Indian Rebellion of 1857, but its name survives as a location near the Jama Masjid. The Urdu language...
, which was called the Urdu Mandir (now Lal Mandir), provided it did not look like a temple.
Raja Harsukh Rai
Raja Harsukh Rai
Raja Harsukh Rai the chief of the Agrawal community, and a builder of several Jain temples in and around Delhi, was the imperial treasurer during Sam. 1852-Sam. 1880....
in early 19th century was the chief of the Agrawal Jain community, and a builder of several Jain temples in and around Delhi including the Naya Mandir
Naya Mandir
Naya Mandir is a historic Jain temple in Old Delhi, in the Dharampura locality allocated to the Jain community by Aurangzeb....
, was the imperial treasurer during Sam. 1852-Sam. 1880. Naya Mandir
Naya Mandir
Naya Mandir is a historic Jain temple in Old Delhi, in the Dharampura locality allocated to the Jain community by Aurangzeb....
was the first Delhi temple to have a shikhara.
Modern period
Delhi has 148 DigambaraDigambara
Digambara "sky-clad" is one of the two main sects of Jainism. "Sky-clad" has many different meaning and associations throughout Indian religions. Many representations of deities within these traditions are depicted as sky-clad, e.g. Samantabhadra/Samantabhadrī in Yab-Yum...
temples, mostly in the walled city areas, 61 sthanakvasi
Sthanakvasi
Sthānakavāsī is a sect of Jainism founded by a merchant named Lavaji about 1653 CE that believes that God is nirakar "without form", and hence do not pray to any statue...
upashrayas and 16 Svetambara
Svetambara
The Śvētāmbara is one of the two main sects of Jainism, the other being the Digambar. Śvētāmbara "white-clad" is a term describing its ascetics' practice of wearing white clothes, which sets it apart from the Digambara "sky-clad" Jainas, whose ascetic practitioners go naked...
Murtipujak temples. In modern Delhi, the majority of Jains in Rupnagar area are refugees from Punjab in Pakistan who arribved after the partition of India.
Main Temples
- Digambara Jain Lal Mandir: The oldest Jain temple in Delhi known as Lal Mandir ("Red Temple"). It is just opposite of the Red Fort on the Netaji Subhas Marg, Chandni ChowkChandni ChowkChandni Chowk , originally meaning moonlit square or market, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi, now in central north Delhi, India...
, Delhi. Constructed in 1658, the temple has undergone many modifications, additions, and alterations. The temple has a free bird hospital (though donations are appreciated) in the courtyard. It practices the Jain principle that all life is sacred.
- Naya MandirNaya MandirNaya Mandir is a historic Jain temple in Old Delhi, in the Dharampura locality allocated to the Jain community by Aurangzeb....
Dharampura: This was the first temple in Delhi with a shikhar. Raja Harsukh RaiRaja Harsukh RaiRaja Harsukh Rai the chief of the Agrawal community, and a builder of several Jain temples in and around Delhi, was the imperial treasurer during Sam. 1852-Sam. 1880....
, imperial treasurer in the late Mughal period, constructed this large and ornate Jain temple in the Dharampura locality of Old Delhi in 1807 during the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar II with a cost of about 8 Lakh rupees, then an enormous amount. He was able to obtain the royal permission to construct a shikhara for the temple for the first time during the Mughal rule. Thus temple is known as the Naya Mandir (new temple), since an older Jain temple, now known as the Lal Mandir already existed.
- Atma Vallabha Sanskriti mandir: Located at 20th kilometre on G. T. Karnal Road, its idyllic setting bring out the elegance of the buildings, which were all built according to traditional Jain ShastraShastra' is a Sanskrit term used to denote rules in a general sense. The word is generally used as a suffix in the context of technical or specialized knowledge in a defined area of practice; e.g., Bhautika Shastra , Rasayana Shastra , Jeeva Shastra , Vastu Shastra , Shilpa Shastra , Artha Shastra ' is a...
s. The complex includes Shri Vasupujaya Temple, Shri Vallabh Smarak, a Shastra Bhandar, a Jain MuseumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, and a Research Centre for IndologyIndologyIndology is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent , and as such is a subset of Asian studies....
. The complex also has a school for children, a Dharamshala & Bhojanalaya for the convenience of visitors, as well as a free dispensary. The complex also contains "Devi Padamavati Temple" and a shrineShrineA shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
of Sadhvi Mrigavati ji.
Tirtha
In Jainism, a tīrtha |ford]], a shallow part of a body of water that may be easily crossed") is used to refer both to pilgrimage sites as well as to the four sections of the sangha...
s include:
- Hastinapur
- TijaraTijaraTijara is a city and a municipality in Alwar district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Tijara is situated 48 km to the north east of Alwar, the nearest Railwau station is Khairthal. It was founded by Tajpala, Raja of Sarahata, 6 km from Tijara. A scion of Yadav family, he built palaces at...
- AhichatraAhichatraAhichatra was the ancient capital of Northern Panchala, a northern Indo-Aryan kingdom mentioned in Mahabharata. The remains of this city has been discovered near Ramnagar village in Aonla tehsil of Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh state. The excavations have brought to life a brick fortification...
- HansiHansiHansi is a city and a municipal council in Hisar district in the Indian state of Haryana. Its 2011 population is estimated to be 1,34,568. It is located at a distance of east of Hisar on National Highway 10. Geographically, it is semi-arid with around 46 cm of annual rainfall. It appears...
- Ranila
- Kasan
External links
- Jain Professional Network 1st professional networking group for Jains all over world
- Jain Temples in Delhi
- Lal Mandir
- The Mehrauli Dadabari complex
- Ahimsa Sthal