Golapurva
Encyclopedia
Golapurva is an ancient Jain community from the Bundelkhand
region of Madhya Pradesh
.
period at Vidisha
region. The Durjanpur idols installed during the rule of Ramagupta
date to about 365 AD. The Udaigiri cave Parshvanath inscription mentioning the lineage of Bhadranvaya is dated to 425 AD. The great Shantinath
temple at Deogarh
was built before 862 CE, suggesting a prosperous Jain community in this region.
A number of Chandella-period inscriptions mentioning the Golapurva community have been found. These include Urdamau (Sam. 1149, 1171 i.e. CE 1092 and 1114), Bahuriband
(1125 AD), Mau (sam 1199), Jatara (Sam 1199), Ahar
(sam 1202), Chhatarpur
(sam. 1202), Papaura (sam 1202), Mau (sam 1203), Navai (sam 1203), Mahoba
(sam. 1219) etc. With the exception of Bahoriband, all the oldest inscriptions have been found in the vicinity of the Dhasan River
(Sanskrit Dasharna).
The towns historically connected with the Golapurva community are in Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Sagar and Damoh districts in Madhya Pradesh and Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh. This region still has a large population of Golapurvas,
According to Vardhamana Purana of Navalsah Chanderia, the Golapurvas originated from a place termed Goelgarh. It is also the view of Pt. Nathuram Premi
and Pt. Munnalal Randheliya that the community originated from a place termed Golla. It has been identified as Gwalior or a town Golapur in Bundelkhand region, or a region termed Golladesh mentioned in a Shravanabelagola inscription. There exist two Jain communities named Golalare
(Golarade in Sanskrit) and Golsinghare in Bhind/Itawa region which may be related. There is also a Brahmin community named Golapurab who are a branch of the Sanadhya Brahmin
s in Agra region who are stated to have originated from Gola village in Sanadhya Samhia (गोलाग्रामगताः केचित् गोलापूर्वाः).
Navalsah Chanderia mentions that Lord Adi
nath visited at a place named "Goyalgarh", where the local residents took the shravaka vratas from him.
There is a tradition that the Golapurvas are descenants of the ancient Ikshvaku
clan. The inscription at Saurai of Sam. 1864 states that the builder of the temple Singhahi Mohandas belonged to Ikshvaku vamsha, gotra Padmavati of the Golapurva community and baink Chaneria. It is also mentioned in some inscriptions at Nainagir.
According to some of the pattavali
s of Idar
, Amber, Ater et. Mula Sangh
Balatkar Gana Saraswati Gachha, Acharyas Gunanandi (sam. 353), Jambunandi (sam. 364) and Gunachandra (sam. 1048) were born in the Golapurva community.
In modern times Acharyas Devanandi http://www.jainacharyadevnandiji.com and Viragasagar, Upadhyaya Guptisagar, distinguished muni
s like Kshamasagar http://www.maitreesamooh.com/kshamasagarji/INDEX.asp and Aryika
s like Vishuddhamati etc. were born in the Golapurva community.
The last publication includes a survey of 535 towns and villages with a total population of 35, 074 individuals.
Bundelkhand
Bundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
region of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
.
History
Jainism had a continuous presence in the Bundelkhand region since antiquity. Jainism was flourishing during the GuptaGupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire which existed approximately from 320 to 550 CE and covered much of the Indian Subcontinent. Founded by Maharaja Sri-Gupta, the dynasty was the model of a classical civilization. The peace and prosperity created under leadership of Guptas enabled the...
period at Vidisha
Vidisha
Vidisha is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, located near the state capital Bhopal. Vidishā is the administrative headquarters of Vidisha District. The city was also known as Bhilsa during the medieval period.-Geography:...
region. The Durjanpur idols installed during the rule of Ramagupta
Ramagupta
Ramagupta was an emperor of the Gupta dynasty in ancient India. He was the elder son and immediate successor of Samudragupta and succeeded by is younger brother Chandragupta II. Initially, he was known from the traditional narratives only. But later, three inscriptions on Jaina tirthankara images...
date to about 365 AD. The Udaigiri cave Parshvanath inscription mentioning the lineage of Bhadranvaya is dated to 425 AD. The great Shantinath
Shantinath
Shantinath was the sixteenth Jain Tirthankar of the present age . According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Shantinath was born to King Viswasen Raja and Queen Achira Rani at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku clan...
temple at Deogarh
Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh
Deogarh is a small farming village near the town of Lalitpur in Lalitpur district, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Located at the border with the former princely state of Gwalior, which is now part of Madhya Pradesh, it is known for its Gupta monuments, located on and near the hill fort on...
was built before 862 CE, suggesting a prosperous Jain community in this region.
A number of Chandella-period inscriptions mentioning the Golapurva community have been found. These include Urdamau (Sam. 1149, 1171 i.e. CE 1092 and 1114), Bahuriband
Bahuriband
Bahuriband , near Katni in MP, is famous of the inscription at the feet of a colossal stone image of Jain Tirthankara Shantinath.The inscription reads:...
(1125 AD), Mau (sam 1199), Jatara (Sam 1199), Ahar
Ahar
Ahar is a city in and the capital of Ahar County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 85,782, in 20,844 families.Ahar is known on the market place for its Ahar rugs...
(sam 1202), Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur
Chhatarpur is a city and a municipality in Chhatarpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Chhatarpur District.- History :...
(sam. 1202), Papaura (sam 1202), Mau (sam 1203), Navai (sam 1203), Mahoba
Mahoba
Mahoba is a city and Mahoba District of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region. Mahoba is known for its closeness to Khajuraho, Laundi and other historic places like Kulpahar, Charkhari, Kalinjar, Orchha, and Jhansi...
(sam. 1219) etc. With the exception of Bahoriband, all the oldest inscriptions have been found in the vicinity of the Dhasan River
Dhasan River
The Dhasan River is a right bank tributary of the Betwa River. The river originates in Begumganj tehsil of Raisen district in Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The river forms the southeastern boundary of the Lalitpur District of Uttar Pradesh state...
(Sanskrit Dasharna).
| संवत १०..फाल्गुन वदि ९ सोमे श्रीमद गयाकर्णदेव विजयराज्ये राष्ट्रकूटकुलोद्भव महासमन्ताधिपति श्रीमद् गोल्हणदेवस्य प्रवर्धमानस्य || श्रीमद् गोल्लापूर्वाम्नाये वेल्लप्रभाटिकायामुरुकृताम्नाये तर्कतार्किक चूडामणि श्रीमन् माधवनन्दिनानुगृहीतः तस्साधु श्री सर्व्वधरः तस्य पुत्र महाभोज धर्म्मदानाध्ययनरतः तेनेदं कारितं रम्यम शान्तिनाथस्य मन्दिरं|स्वलात्यम् सर्ज्जक सूत्रधारः श्रेष्ठि नमावितानं महाश्वेतं निर्मितमतिसुन्दरं|| श्रीमच्चन्द्रकराचार्य्याम्नाय देशीगणान्वये समस्त विद्या विनयानन्दित विद्वज्जनाः प्रतिष्ठाचार्य श्रीमत् सुभद्राश्चिरं जयतु || |
| The Bahuriband Bahuriband Bahuriband , near Katni in MP, is famous of the inscription at the feet of a colossal stone image of Jain Tirthankara Shantinath.The inscription reads:... Inscription 1125 CE |
The towns historically connected with the Golapurva community are in Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Sagar and Damoh districts in Madhya Pradesh and Lalitpur district in Uttar Pradesh. This region still has a large population of Golapurvas,
According to Vardhamana Purana of Navalsah Chanderia, the Golapurvas originated from a place termed Goelgarh. It is also the view of Pt. Nathuram Premi
Nathuram Premi
Nathuram Premi was a writer, publisher, poet, editor, linguist and an intellectual giant in the field of Jainism as well as Hindi literature. A budding poet, he wrote under the nom de plume of "Premi". Although belonging to the Digambara sect of Jainism, he adopted a non-sectarian attitude and...
and Pt. Munnalal Randheliya that the community originated from a place termed Golla. It has been identified as Gwalior or a town Golapur in Bundelkhand region, or a region termed Golladesh mentioned in a Shravanabelagola inscription. There exist two Jain communities named Golalare
Golalare
सिद्धेभ्यः श्री ...सम्वत् 1525 वर्षे चैत्र सुदी 15 मूलसंघे सरस्वती गच्छे बलाकार गणे श्री कुन्दकुन्दाचार्यान्वये आम्नाय भट्टारक श्री प्रभाचंद्र देवा ततो पट्टे ....
(Golarade in Sanskrit) and Golsinghare in Bhind/Itawa region which may be related. There is also a Brahmin community named Golapurab who are a branch of the Sanadhya Brahmin
Sanadhya Brahmin
Sanadya Brahmin are a community of Brahmins, living prominently in Western Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh area of India...
s in Agra region who are stated to have originated from Gola village in Sanadhya Samhia (गोलाग्रामगताः केचित् गोलापूर्वाः).
Legends
A legendary account of the origin in is given in Navalsah Chanderia's "Vardhamana Purana" written in 1769 AD. In this account the poet gives a history of the Golapurvas, then traces how own descent, his ancestor who lived at Chanderi in remote antiquity, gajaratha pratishta by his ancestors in 1634 AD at Bhelsi, and settlement of his ancestors at Khataura, where he was born. The temple built by his ancestors at Bhelsi still exists.Navalsah Chanderia mentions that Lord Adi
Rishabha (Jain tirthankar)
In Jainism, R̥ṣabha or Ādinātha , also known as the "Lord of Kesariya") was the first of the 24 Tīrthaṅkaras. According to Jain beliefs, R̥ṣabha founded the Ikshvaku dynasty and was the first Tīrthaṅkara of the present age...
nath visited at a place named "Goyalgarh", where the local residents took the shravaka vratas from him.
There is a tradition that the Golapurvas are descenants of the ancient Ikshvaku
Ikshvaku
Ikshvaku pāli: Okkāka) was the first king of the Ikshvaku dynasty and founder of the Solar Dynasty of Kshatriyas in Vedic civilization in ancient India.-In Hinduism:He is remembered in Hindu scriptures as a righteous and glorious king...
clan. The inscription at Saurai of Sam. 1864 states that the builder of the temple Singhahi Mohandas belonged to Ikshvaku vamsha, gotra Padmavati of the Golapurva community and baink Chaneria. It is also mentioned in some inscriptions at Nainagir.
According to some of the pattavali
Pattavali
A Pattavali is a record of a spiritual lineage of heads of monastic orders. They are thus spiritual genealogies. It is generally presumed that two successive names are teacher and pupil...
s of Idar
Idar
Idar is a city and a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is located about 30 km north of Himatnagar and 25 km from Gujarat's border with Rajasthan...
, Amber, Ater et. Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh
Mula Sangh is an ancient Jain monastic order . Mula literally means the "root" or the original order.Mula-Sangh has been the main Digambar Jain order. Today the Digambar Jain tradition is synonymous with Mula Sangha. The great Acharya Kundakunda is associated with Mula Sangh...
Balatkar Gana Saraswati Gachha, Acharyas Gunanandi (sam. 353), Jambunandi (sam. 364) and Gunachandra (sam. 1048) were born in the Golapurva community.
In modern times Acharyas Devanandi http://www.jainacharyadevnandiji.com and Viragasagar, Upadhyaya Guptisagar, distinguished muni
Muni
"Muni" is a common abbreviation for "municipal" or a city-related service or organization:*The Muny, an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, Missouri*Municipal bond*San Francisco Municipal Railway, the public transit agency for San Francisco, California...
s like Kshamasagar http://www.maitreesamooh.com/kshamasagarji/INDEX.asp and Aryika
Aryika
Aryika is the title by which Jain nuns are referred to, specially in the Digambar tradition.In some parts of India, it takes the form Ajji.-See also:* Jain muni* Shravanabelagola*...
s like Vishuddhamati etc. were born in the Golapurva community.
Distribution
The Golapurvas is one of the best documented communities in India as a result of three complete censuses:- 1914: Digambar Jain Directory, Thakurds Bhagavandas Javeri
- 1940: Golapurva Directory, Ed. Mohanlal Jain Kavyatirth
- 1996: Golapurva Jain Samaj: Itihas Evam Sarvekshana, Ed. Surendra Kumar Jain
The last publication includes a survey of 535 towns and villages with a total population of 35, 074 individuals.
| Year | Population | Towns | Adult Literacy |
| 1914 | 10,834 | - | 54% |
| 1941 | 12,569 | 428 | 57% |
| 1996 | 35,074 | 535 | 100% |
Golapurva Jain Monks
- Aacharya Shree Viragsagar Ji Maharaj.
- Acharya Sharee Devnandi Ji Maharaj.
- Aacharya Shree Sidhantsagar Ji Maharaj.
- Aacharya Shree Chandrasagar Ji Maharaj.
- Aacharya Shree Vibhavsagar Ji Maharaj.
- Upadhyay Shree Guptisagar Ji Maharaj.
- Upadhyay Shree Udarsagar Ji Maharaj.
- Muni Shree Kshamasagar Ji Maharaj.
- Muni Shree Abhaysagar Ji Maharaj.
- Aryika Shree Vishudhmati mataji,
- Aryika Shree Prasantmati mataji.
- Aryika Shree Vinatmati mataji.
- Aryika Shree shailmati mataji.
- Aryika Shree saarmati mataji.
Historical
- Mahabhoj, builder of the great ShantinathShantinathShantinath was the sixteenth Jain Tirthankar of the present age . According to Jain beliefs, he became a siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. Shantinath was born to King Viswasen Raja and Queen Achira Rani at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku clan...
temple at BahuribandBahuribandBahuriband , near Katni in MP, is famous of the inscription at the feet of a colossal stone image of Jain Tirthankara Shantinath.The inscription reads:...
in Shak Sam. 1001 - Brothers Malhana and Jalhana, builder of NeminathNeminathNeminatha was twenty-second Jain Tirthankar of the present age . According to Jain beliefs, he became a Siddha, a liberated soul which has destroyed all of its karma. He is also known as Arishtanemi He along with Rishabha or Adinatha is mentioned in the Rig Veda Samhita...
temple at Mau, Sam. 1199. - Shankar, author of Harishena Chariu in Sam. 1526 in DelhiDelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
- Navalshah Chanderia, author of Vardhamana Purana in 1651 at Khataura.
- Sangharaj Bhagavandas of Delhi, patron of Pande Rupachand, author of Samvasharana-Patha (1635 CE).
- Dhanraj, author of Bhavyanada Panchashika in Sam. 1664 at ShivpuriShivpuriShivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...
- Sanghapati Askaran of DhamoniDhamoniDhamoni is a Muslim religious site in the Sagar district of central India....
, shantiyajna vidhan in 1659 CE. - Sukhadeva, author of Vanikapriya in Sam 1767
Early 20th century
- Kshullaka Chidananda, founder of 30 schools in BundelkhandBundelkhandBundelkhand anciently known as Chedi Kingdom is a geographic region of central India...
(Sam. 1958-1970 AD). - Singhai Kundanlal Jain, Jati Bhushana Danavira, founder and benefactor of Saraswati Bhavan, Sanskrit Jain Academy (founded by Chhullaka Ganesha Varni), schools and hospitals.
- Pandit Balachandra ShastriBalachandra ShastriPandit Balachandra Siddhanta-Shastri was a scholar and linguist who bridged classical and modern scholarship in Jainism during the mid-20th century.-Life:...
, Early modern Jain Scholar, remembered for his work on the Satkhandāgama, Kasāyapāhuda and Jaina Laksanavali (1905–1985). - Dr. Darbari Lal Jain Kothia, Nyayacharya (sam. 1968-)
- Dr. Nemichandra Jain, Indore, author and editor (1927-)
- Dr. Pannalal Jain Sahityacharya, prolific author and translator (1911–2001)http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jainsamachar/message/169
- Pandit Parmananda Shasri, historian and editor of Anekanta (1903–1992)
- Pandit Mohanlal Shastri Kavyatirth, author/editor of more than 200 texts
- Pt. Vanshidhar Vyakaranacharya, Bina, philosopher, reformer and freedom fighter
- Barelal Jain Rajvaidya, physician, scholar and tirth-bhakta (1905–1989)
Modern
- Muni Kshamasagar, author and poet, http://www.maitreesamooh.com/kshamasagarji/ABOUTUS.HTML
- Prof. Saroj Jain, Indore, poet and humorist
- Dr. Kasturchand Suman, historian, epigraphist and translator (1936-)
- Niraj Jain, Satna, Archeologist, historian, poet, author of many books related to Jain philosophy.
- Nirmal Jain, Satna, poet, author and editor,
- Suresh Jain, Marora ShivpuriShivpuriShivpuri is a city and a municipality in Shivpuri district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is in the Gwalior Division of northwest Madhya Pradesh and is the administrative headquarters of Shivpuri District. It is situated at an altitude of above sea level.-History:Shivpuri is an ancient...
, Socialist & Member of various Jain Organization. - Prof. Bhagchandra JainBhagchandra JainBhagchandra Jain 'Bhaskar' is an Indian scholar, renowned for his knowledge of Jainism and Buddhism, and of classical Indian languages including Pali and Sanskrit. His career has spanned more than four decades....
Bhaskar, Nagpur, PaliPáli- External links :* *...
scholar and prolific author - Prof. Yashwant K. Malaiya, Professor of Computer Science Department at Colorado State University.
- Suresh Chand Jain [Janki Nagar,Jabalpur], Socialist & Member of various Jain Organization,