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Jainism in Mathura
nineteenth century. The Jainas usually known as Saraugīs, and almost exclusively belonging to the bania community,25 numbered only 1593 in the Mathura district in 1882.26 The Jainas were not a large community in the Mathură district in 1911,27 and according to the census of 1951, they numbered only 2055 in the district. 28 Mani Ram, Lakhmi Chand and Raghunath Das were devout Jainas.29 Raja Lakshman Das, a cousin of Raghunath Das, was one of the principal leaders of the Jaina community.30 He founded the Bharatavarṣiya Digambara Jaina Mahasabha in AD 1884, and organised some sessions of this body at Mathura.31
Jainism made considerable progress in Mathura in the twentieth century. Up to 1911, there were only three Jaina temples in the city of Mathura; one at Chaurasi, and one each in Ghia Mandi and Caubes' Quarter, both dedicated to jina Padmaprabha.32 At present there are ten Jaina temples and dharmaśālās in Mathura and its immediate neighbourhood. These are - (1) Śrī 1008 Candraprabhu Bhagvan Digambara Jaina Mandir, Jaina Gali, Mathura; (2) Śrī 1008 Padmaprabhu Bhagvana Digambara Jaina Mandir, Manik Chowk, Mathurā; (3) Śrī 1008 Candraprabhu Digambara Jaina Mandir, Jaisimhapura, Mathura; (4) Samkheśvara Parsvanatha Svetambara Jaina Mandir, Jaina Gali, Mathura; (5) Śrī 1008 Adinatha Bhagvan Digambara Jaina Mandir, Vrandaban; (6) Sethani Ji Ka Chaityalaya, opposite Śrī Dvārakādhīśa Mandir, Mathura; (7) Śrī 1008 Ādinātha Digambara Jaina Chaityalaya, Chaurasi, Mathura; (8) Digambara Jaina Dharmaśālā, Jaina Gali, Mathura; (9) Śvetambara Jaina Dharmaśālā,
25. MDM, p. 12; DGM, 1911, p. 82.
26.
Ibid., p. 12.
27. DGM, 1911, p. 82.
28.
Ibid., 1968, pp. 83-4.
29.
J.P. Jain, op. cit., p. 354.
30.
Ibid., pp. 354-5.
31.
Ibid., p. 355.
32.
MDM, pp. 12-13; DGM, 1911, pp. 82-3.
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