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Part I. Origin
Svetambers:
Svetamber means 'white clad'. The Svetamber monks wear white clothes. The Svetamber sect as a distinctly 'church' developed after Valabhi Council (980/983 Vir Samvat, 5th century A.D.). One of the most important Jaina texts is the Kalpasutra, ascribed to Bhadrabahu, which was put into its final form at this period. In fifth and sixth century A.D. during rule of the Gupta dynasty an important development was the standardized of Jaina iconography.
Haribahdara Suri laid the foundation of the Svetamber intellectual movement. He lived in eighth century A.D. (A.D. 705-775). He was born in a Brahmin family of Chitrakuta (present day Chittorgarh).
Hemchandra Suri was born in 1088 A.D. in a place called Dhandhuka about 100 Kilometers south west of Ahmedabad in vania (merchant) community. He was one of the greatest Jaina monk and literary scholar of India. He wrote book of grammar called Dwayashrya in two volumes. The first volume is about the Sanskrit Grammar written in Sanskrit and the second volume is Prakrit Grammar written in Prakrit. He was a great poet and composed the devotional songs in praise of Tirthankaras. His famous works are books on biographies of 63 superheroes of Jaina mythology (Trishatti Shalaka Purush Charitra) and Yoga Shastra, a treatise describing aspects of Pantajali and Jaina Yoga system.
A gaccha is sub-division of the Svetambers community. Basically it is a grouping of monks formed by important monks with a following of lay adherents. At present time majority of Svetambers of Gujarat and Rajasthan belong to one of the following three gachhas:
1. Khartar, 2. Tappa and 3. Anchal.
