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THE GROWTH OF JAINISM IN KERALA
tual conference, functions, camps, Dasara nine day festival are celebrated on a grand scale.
M. K. Jinachandran the younger son of Krishnayya Gouda has started several commercial companies, spiritual and cultural centres complementing the natural beauty of Wynad and eternally established Wynad district as a tourist attraction on the map of Kerala. In Hompuja in Karnataka, he built a Parswanathathirthankara Jain temple and Yekshi Padmavathi Devi temple and celebrated the panchakalyana festival in a grand manner (13.05.1956 24.05.1956).
Notwithstanding all these, during the Mahamastakabhisheka of 1977, he cornered the exceptional honoured of getting "Madhya Kumbha Kalasha" by bidding it in an auction for an amount of Rs. 50,000. He helped in the establishment of Kundakunda Brahmacharya Ashram in Hompuja. He has had the singular spiritual joy of originating efforts to renovate the Chandranatha Swami Jain temple at Palghat. He has also financed the development of Jain temples of Bennagood, Mananthavadi and other Jain temples. Swasti Shri. Devendra Kirti Bhattaraka Mahaswami has honoured him with the award "Sadharma divakara" on 26.11.1953 during the Panchakalyana festival of Padmavati Devi. Ratna Varma Hegde of Dharmasthala has felicitated Sri. Jinachandran on 25.09.1956 with an honour certificate.
M. S. Padmayya Gouda son of Subbayya Gouda took up the spreading and publicity of Jain dharma. He toured several areas of Wynad in Kerala, also places like H. D. Kote taluk and Mysore taluk where he became the cause of inspiring several people to embrace Jainism. In order to teach the ABC of Jainism in H. D. Kote, Chakur and Matakare, he laid the foundations for Jain temples there. He spent his unlimited financial resources inside his family home Ratnatrayavilasa and founded "Kannada Basadi" and became the cause for large scale Jain influence. A grand Jain temple of this scale does not exist either in Kerala or Karnataka.
That is why the names of Krishnayya Gouda, Subbayya Gouda, Padmayya Gouda and Jinachandran have become immortal in the history of Jainism in Wynad. Chandrasagara Swami, Nemisagara Varni, Santiraja Sastri, who encouraged and inspired these people deserve to be congratulated. Because of the relentless efforts and unstinting devotion today we can see several new Jain temples, Spiritual organizations, Jain students' hostels, marriage halls and Mahavir Bhavans. These men have become role models of Jain spiritualism.
Shri. Chandrasagara Swami has especially provided counsels, support and suggestions to the Jain communities in Saragore, Bennagood, Manandavadi and has directed the processes of Panchakalyana in the Jain temples. The revered Swamiji deserved to be included in our morning prayers and his selfless work is both worthy of emulation and congratulation.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF WYNAD JAINS
M. K. Ananthayya Gouda donated for Ananthakrishanpuram Jain Boarding Home and 1955 Kundkund Vidyapitha in Huncha.
Lake M. K. Padmaprabha also donated cash and land.
Chandrayya Gouda donated for Parshwajinendra statue to the Jain Boarding and for Chandra School.
Late Pudmayya Gouda donated for Jain Education & Training in Kannada.
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