________________
In this book an attempt has been made to write a comprehensive and connected account about Jainism from 800 BC to the time of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Jainism is older than Buddhism and first to protest against Brahmanical Hinduism, though most of the authorities on Jainism were Brahmins by birth and a few Ksatriyas also took part in the propagation.
Pārsvanátha, who was the real founder and penultimate Tirthamkara of this religious system, lived 250 years before Gautama Buddha. Vardhamana Mahavira, a contemporary of Buddha was the twenty-fourth and the last Tirthaikara of this religious system whereas Rşabhanātha was the first Tirthamkara. Mahavira made Jainism vastly popular with the masses of northern India. Afterwards from first century BC, Jainism became popular in south India. Inspite of systematic vilification by the Buddhist and the Brahmins, Jainism still continues to be a dominant religious system in India, although there is practically no trace of the doctrine of Buddhism, in the country of its birth. Even now in India, some twenty million people are Jaimas and they are quite prosperous.
Towards the end, this book also carries descriptive account of the wellknown Jaina tithas (sacred places) and nearly three hundred places have been discussed.
Asim Kumar Chatterjee was Senior Reader in the Department of Ancient Indian History and Culture, Calcutta University. He also acted as Head of the Department from 1989-91. He has published several books and research articles which are published in learned journals. At present he is writing a book on "Gautama Buddha".
