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all to cultivate their own garden of self-development through the seeds of simplified
small vows. The spirituality embedded in Tulsi's theory needs to be interpreted
accurately and sympathetically through a wider kaleidoscopic lens.
I conclude my study with the following observations: Acharya Tulsi, though a
Jain Acharya, was viewed by the majority as a "jan acharya,” that is, a "leader of the
masses," and his movement was meant to be a "jan" movement, a movement of the
masses, however, it remained largely a Terapanth based Jain movement. My survey data
also support that the majority of respondents who considered the movement to be
"religious” were Jains. Such a concern would apparently need to be addressed in any
future application of Tulsi's theories.
My research was limited to a small and concentrated group in north and western
India as compared to the widespread presence of Anuvratis in various regions throughout
India. However, Acharya Tulsi's movement could be further examined in the future with
larger sample groups employing ethnographic fieldwork and other methodologies. I hope
this is done because; I regard Tulsi's idea of a radical change in individual imperative for
social change, as nested in the Anuvrat Movement, a viable basis for positive action that
will have the potential to continue for as long as the concept of ahimsa perseveres.
