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Upakesh Gachha (see Appendix E) running down up to the present day. His first gana lhar or chief disciple was Shubha Datt, who was succeeded by Hari Datt. Then came Arya Samudra and his disciple Prava Suri. Next Keshi Kurnar succeeded to the headship of the Church. Acharya Keshi Kumar was a contemporary of Mahavira. Both Keshi, the spiritual head of the Church and Gautam the chief disciple of Mahavira had interviews on spiritual reforms.
Lord Mahavira attained nirvan in 527 B. C. His prominent disciples or ganadhars were eleven viz :
1. Indrabhuti, better known as Gautam from his gotra.
2. Agnibhuti ; belonging to Gautam gotra.
3. Vayubhuti, belonging to Gautam gotra.
4. Vyakta, belonging to Bhardwaja gotra
5. Sudharma, belonging to Agniveshyan gotra.
6. Mandit, belonging to Vasista gotra.
7. Mouryaputra, belonging to Kashyap gotra.
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