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Jain Temples of Bharuch Like Buddhism, Jainism also enjoyed a considerable following in Gujarat at the onset of the age of the Maitraks. In a sense we can say that Jainism began to spread in Surashtra during the life of the twenty second Tirthankar Shri Neminath. There were a number of very important centres of Jainism in Gujarat. One of such centres is Girmar which was known as "Ujjayant Raivatak Tirth" because this is the place where the Lord got His Diksha, Kevalgnan and Nirvan. Similarly Vimalgiri was associated with Shatrunjay Tirth and Palitanak or Palitana tirth derived its very name from a great muni Shri Padliptacharya. Madhumati tirth or Mahuva was the place where a great Jain business magnet named Bhavad lived. The name of Muni Suvrat, the twentieth Tirthankar, is associated with Bharukachchha (Bharuch) Ashwabodh tirth. Nagarjun founded Stambhanak (Thamna) tirth. Arbudachal tirth was a place very favourite with the wealthy devotees of Jainism for practising severe austerities. Shankhpur tirth in Kachchha, Vallabhi, Shrimal, Modhera, Vadhvan, Taranga and Arbudachal, where Shrimata practiced her penance, were also very important centres of Jainism in Gujarat.
Bharukachchha or Bharuch was highly acclaimed as an important centre of culture in Gujarat from the age of the Mauryas to the age of the Guptas. Sacred books of Jains such as Vividh Tirth Kalpa and Praphavak Charit contain a number of references to many temples built by king Samprati at Shatrunjay and Bharukachchha.
When the celebrated Chinese traveller Hu-en-tsang visited Bharukachchha, the local rulers of the state had accepted the tutelage of the Chalukyas. His travelogue contains a derogatory reference to the people of the city. He wrote that the people of the city were cold and indifferent. They were both crooked and cynic. They did not love learning and knowledge and would treat their own duties and delusious as one. There were nearly 10 Sangharams in the city and nearly 300 mendicants and munis lived in them. There were many temples. And communities belonging to different religions resided here.
52 : Jain Kashthapat Chitra
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