Jainism in Maharashtra

Jainism has been present in Maharashtra since ancient times. The famous Ellora Caves demonstrate that Jainism was part of a thriving religious culture in Maharashtra in premodern times.

History
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


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:

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


 * Upajjhaya
 * Kamboja
 * 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
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. The association is credited with being one of the first Jain associations to start reform movements among the Jains in modern India. The organization mainly seeks to represent the interests of the native Jains of Maharashtra (Marathi Jains) and Karnataka (Kannada Jains).

Jain Tirthas and Temples

 * Cave temple
 * Ellora Jain Caves
 * Nasik Caves
 * Manmodi Caves
 * Mangi-Tungi

Shri Kalikund Parshwanatha Digambar Jain Kshetra, Kundal Sangli.
 * Main temple
 * Shantinath Jain Teerth
 * Gajpanth
 * Kumbhoj
 * Shantinath Jain Teerth
 * Shantinath temple, Ramtek
 * Jahaj Mandir, Mandwala
 * Jintur
 * Godiji Parshwanath Temple, Mumbai
 * Nemgiri in Parbhani district
 * Katraj Tirth
 * Babu Amichand Panalal Adishwarji Jain Temple, Walkeshwar
 * Shri Antariksha Parshvanath
 * 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

Gallery
Shri Kalikund Parshwanatha Digambar Jain Kshetra

Notable Marathi Jains

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