Dr. Naresh
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Monday, August 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
IDOLATOR JAINS OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA
The very fact that the ‘Dhoondhaka’ sect of the Jains
came into existence as a reaction to idolatry proves that the Jains, by and
large, were idol-worshippers till 16th century. However, the crusade
against idolatory, spearheaded by Lonka Shah, met with great success and the
iconoclasm-tide almost swayed the Jain masses, particularly in the North. It
were the followers of Lonka Shah who ultimately organized themselves into a
sect known as Sthanakvasis.
The
history of undivided Punjab is helpless in providing any proof regarding the
prevalence of idolatory here till the second half of the 19th
century. But in a period spanning over just seven years the course of history was
changed by the efforts of the most zealous propagator of idol-worshipping
Acharya Srimad Vijyananda Suri, popularly known as Muni Atma nanda, and
idolatory, despite strong opposition from the Poojyas, established its might in
a number of towns in Punjab.
Muni
Atma Nanda was originally initiated into the Sthanakvasi order but he soon
snapped ties with it and got converted into moortipujak Swetambora order where
he was elevated to the most coveted position of Acharya. It was his dream to
establish Jain temples in Punjab, his home state, and to see Jain masses
everywhere worshipping the idols of the 24 Trithankars. With this goal in mind,
when the Acharya came to Punjab in 1889, he found that unprecedented enthusiasm
of his devout followers was awaiting him.
With
the Acharya as the only moving spirit behind the spurt of socio-religious
activity, the devouts completed the construction of jain temples at Ludhiana
and Malerkotla in 1890 and came to be known as the forerunners. The idols of 23rd
Trithankara Parsvanatha were installed in these two temples with great pomp and
show. In the Makerkotla temple, another idol of the 10th Trithankara
Sheetalnatha was also added.
Three more temples emerged in other
three towns of Punjab in 1891. These were Amritsar, Zira and Hoshiarpur. The
Amritsar temple was built by Panna Lal where idols of Trithankara Sheetalnatha
and the 18th Trithankara Arenatha were instituted by Gokul Bhai of
Baroda who was specially invited to perform the installation ceremony. The year
was marked by the completion of another temple at Zira, the birth-place of the
Acharya. Radha Bai, a devotee of the Acharya had vowed to build the temple and
had donated all her belongings for the purpose. The job of construction was
entrusted to Lalu Ram, her mukhtar, who got the temple erected in three years
time. Constructed by Mistri Sher Singh and his fellow workmen, the Zira temple
has no match in architecture, designing and wood-carvings. It was again Gokul
Bhai of Baroda who was invited to perform the exalted duty to install the idol
of Trithankara Parsvanatha here.
The fateful year of 1891 witnessed
the emergence of yet another temple at Hoshiarpur. The Hoshiarpur temple owes
its existence to the munificence of Gujjar Mall, who for eight long years had brooded
over his resolve of building a temple with golden dome on the pattern of Darbar
Sahib. His dream was fulfilled in 1891 when Jethamal, a special invitee from
Ahmedabad, performed the installation of the idols of Trithankaras Parsvanatha
Vasupoojya and Vimalnatha in the 90 feet high temple of Hoshiarpur.
The Jain temples at Ambala,
presently in Haryana, with the idol of Trithankara Parsvanatha installed, was
thrown open to the devouts in 1895.
The year 1896 was marked with the
construction of Jain temples in three more towns namely Sankhatra, Hem Nagar
and Narowal are now in Pakistan and the temples which were built here with
profound devotion and dedication have been reduced to debris with the rare
idols helplessly watching the mighty wheel of the time trampling the age-old
civilization in that part of the land. The fading migrated generation of the
Jain idolators from these towns even today cherish the memories of the days
when they had joined the various ceremonies held in connection with the installation
of idols in these temples.
The temple built in Sankhatra had
the distinction of witnessing the installation of the largest number of idols
and had thus stolen a place of pride amongst the Jain temples of Punjab. Next
to this was the Narowal temple with seven idols whereas the Hem Nagar temple
could have only two.
Although the later generation of the
rich Moortipoojak Jain community have added quite a few more temples to the
lineage, the old grandeur, enthusiasm and fervor are no more to be found.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
AN EPOCH-MAKER FROM PUNJAB
Despite
tumultuous advocacy of Punjabiat during the past few decades, the painful fact
remains that Punjab has never seriously endeavored to recognise, highlight or
even acknowledge the selfless service of its own sons who dedicated their lives
to spreading the message of peace and co-existence in this land of five rivers.
This inexcusable negligence has allowed quite a few social reformers, poets,
musicians, artists and spiritual leaders to walk into oblivion. One wished
Punjab could only take pride in being the motherland of great personalities
like the venerable Acharya Vijayananda Suri who alone attracted scores of
Punjab Jains towards the forsaken idol-worship.
During the second half of the 19th century, the
writ of the Poojyas prevailed in Punjab, who were deadly opposed to
idol-worship. Acharya Vijayananda challenged their might and successfully
inspired his followers to build Jain temples. The resistant Poojyas issued open
letters forbidding the Punjabi Jains from giving food or shelter to the Acharya.
Undeterred by the designs of the Poojyas, the zealous Acharya initiated a large
number of Jains into his fold. As a result, in a short span of seven years,
temples were constructed in nine of the Punjab cities and the installation
ceremonies performed with unprecedented fervor.
The original name of the Acharya was
Atma Ram. He was born at Leha, a village in Zira tehsil of the Ferozepur
district in the year 1835. His father, Ganesh Chand Kapur, died an untimely
death which forced his mother Roopvati Devi to send his child to Zira in the
hope that Atma Ram would have his schooling under the kind patronage of Seth
Jodh Mall.
It was at zira that the young Atma
Ram came close to the Sthanakvasi sadhus and was so greatly influenced by their
holiness that in 1853 he got himself initiated into their fold and himself
became a Sthanakvasi sadhu. This provided him an easy access to the Jain
scriptures, which he studied with keen contemplation. His own interpretations
of the scriptures favouring idol-worship brought him into sharp disagreement
with his fellow sadhus who considered idol-worship a sin.
Bearing with the stubborn Sthanakvasis for over two decades,
Atma Ram exhausted his patience and there came the breaking point. In 1875, he
abandoned the sect and became a disciple of the renowned Moortipoojak saint
Buddhi Vijayk under whose guidance he studied scriptures afresh and gained
spiritual heights. In recognition of his rare scholarship and powerful
exposition of the scriptures, he was elevated to the most coveted position of
the Acharya by the four-fold congregation, held at Palitana in the year 1886.
Acharya Vijayananda strongly
believed that education alone could ensure the uplift of Indian Jain community.
With this goal in mind, he inspired the devout to establish a number of
educational institutions in different parts of the country. Many a S.A.Jain
school and college, which came into being during his life time or afterwards
owe their existence to the Acharya’s love and concern for education.
Another significant contribution of the Acharya was that he
made wonderful arrangements for the resurrection and preservation of a large
number of manuscripts stored haphazardly in the temples of Gujarat and
Rajasthan.
The Acharya’s superb knowledge of
Jain philosophy and his powerful oratory earned him wide acclaim. In 1892, he
was invited to the World Conference of Religions held at Chicago. He himself
could not attend this conference owing to religious compulsions but sent
Mr.Veer Chand Raghavji Gandhi as his representative. Mr.Gandhi, equipped with a
well-prepared question-answer type booklet, written by the Acharya, was at ease
in the conference in quelling each and every query of the delegates.
Apart from spearheading the
socio-religious activity, Acharya Vijayananda authored 15 books and composed
spiritual poetry of considerable merit. His books provide a logical treatise of
the Jain philosophy and forcefully advocate the finer human values. The
prolific writer in the Acharya explained at length to the common believers the
ways of worship and armed them with a detailed code of conduct. His poetry, in
simple spoken Hindi, aimed at inviting the readers to the realms of spiritual
bliss and impressed upon them the need to build a healthy society by
discovering and inculcating the divine virtues.
This great son of Punjab left for his heavenly abode in
1896through Santhara i.e. willful fasting unto death, leaving behind very many
devout to prostrate at his Samadhi at Gujranwala (now in Pakistan) and just a
few to be the torch-bearers in the furtherance of his mission.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
ग़ज़ल
करायेंगे हमें मुन्सिफ़ प्रतीक्षा कब तक।
हमारे धैर्य की होगी परीक्षा कब तक।
किसी को दण्ड मिले लोकहित हनन के लिए,
हरेक जुर्म की लम्बी समीक्षा कब तक।
बयानबाज़ी बहुत हो ली अब ये बतलाओ,
पड़ेगी सीता को देनी परीक्षा कब तक।
बिना किताब पढ़े ही लिखेगा आलोचक,
मगर बता दे छपेगी समीक्षा कब तक।
हमारी साधना कमज़ोर है न जाने 'नरेश',
टलेगी और अभी अपनी दीक्षा कब तक।
हमारे धैर्य की होगी परीक्षा कब तक।
किसी को दण्ड मिले लोकहित हनन के लिए,
हरेक जुर्म की लम्बी समीक्षा कब तक।
बयानबाज़ी बहुत हो ली अब ये बतलाओ,
पड़ेगी सीता को देनी परीक्षा कब तक।
बिना किताब पढ़े ही लिखेगा आलोचक,
मगर बता दे छपेगी समीक्षा कब तक।
हमारी साधना कमज़ोर है न जाने 'नरेश',
टलेगी और अभी अपनी दीक्षा कब तक।
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