Gandhi And Jainism

Author(s): Shugan C Jain
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies

Page 27

abode of holy pilgrim places of both Hindus (Chardham) and Jains (Palitana and Mount Girnar).
Jainism had a strong foothold in Gujarat from pre-historic time as can be seen from the following occurrences of Jain spiritual leaders and important preceptors:
1st Tirthankara Adinath performed austerities and attained omniscience at Palitana (Kathiawad)
22nd Tirthankara Aristnemi of Mahabharat era, performed austerities and attained omniscience and liberation at Mount Girnar in Kathiawad
Leading preceptors like Dharsen (1st century BC), Devardhigani (6th century AD), Hari Bhadra (8th century AD), Hemchandra (12th century AD) and householder and spiritual mentor of Gandhi Rajchandra (19th century AD) hail from Gujarat in general and Kathiawad in particular. Further Hemchandra and Rajchandra are both from the Modh Bania community to which Gandhi belonged. They have greatly influenced religion in the region as a result of which the impact of Jainism is still visible today in the state.
Gandhi was born in Porbandar, a part of the Kathiawad peninsula of Gujarat, in a Modh Bania Vaishnava family. Porbandar was not only a gateway to religious pilgrimage but also a commercial port for traders. Bania is a community of merchants, bankers, money-lenders, traders and numerous commercial activities. Modh-Bania, a sub grouping of Bania community, comprises primarily Jains and Vaishnavas. The influence of Jainism in general in Modh Banias and outsiders who engaged in trade and commerce in this area was profound. Bombay Gazetteer of 1884 showed Jain Banias outnumbering Vaishanava Banias by a ratio of 3:2, both in Kathiawad (96,15063,400) and in Gujarat (334,000-213,000) as a whole. The Gazetteer tells us that these two sections of the Bania
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