Jain Journal 1984 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 25

Traces of Jainism in Bengal
DEVA PRASAD GHOSH
Jainism the Earliest Religious Force in Bengal
Jainism like Buddhism originated in Bihar. Magadha is the holiest place of Jainism, as the majority of the Tirthankaras were either born or died here. Still Jainism does not appear to have flourished in the Magadha proper. Inspite of the fact that some of the holiest places of Jainism like Pavapuri and Campanagar were situated in Magadha, the predominant religion of the area was Buddhism. This accounts for the paucity of Jaina images and temples in Magadha or South Bihar.
On the other hand evidences, both literary and archaeological, prove beyond doubt that ancient Bengal, specially the northern and western portions were the stronghold of Jainism upto the 10th century A.D. That in the 7th century A.D. Pundravardhana (North Bengal), Karna Suvarna and Samatata (West and Lower Bengal) continued to be dominated by the Nirgranthas in contrast to the Buddhist holy land of Magadha, is attested by the great Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang. From his accounts too it may easily be inferred that adjacent areas of Bengal, viz., Kie-ChingKie-lo (Kajangala-Rajmahal) and the wild tracts of Santhal Parganas and Jharkhand were given to Jaina worship even in that remote age. We have a 'set of Jaina tradition which show that North Bengal and a portion of lower Bengal had contributed to the establishment of the Jaina religion already before the 2nd century B.C.' Bhadrabahu, the famous author of Kalpa Sutra, a contemporary of Candragupta Maurya, is said to have been an inhabitant of Radha of Western Bengal. 'According to tradition Godasa, a disciple of Bhadrabahu was responsible for the foundation of a school called Godasa-gana which had in course of time four śākhās, three of which are called Tamraliptiya, Kotivarsiya and Paundravardhaniya"; they grew up in the Tamluk, Dinajpur and Rajshahi regions in lower and northern Bengal, and in Bangladesh.
1 Majumdar, R. C., History of Bengal, Vol. 1, Dacca, pp. 409-10.