NEW evidences coming under light every other day are now bringing the fact forth, that Jainism was once a largely followed major religion in the Indian subcontinent. One such archaeological site, declared a UNESCO a world heritage site in 2013, is the Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan, India. The marvellous fort, with a 38 km long boundary wall protecting the entire fort complex, is believed to have been built around 200 BCE by the Jain ruler, King Samprati also known as the Jain Ashoka. King Samprati was the Grandson of Emperor Ashoka and was ordained into Jainism by a Jain Acharya called Suhasti. There are a total of 360 temples in the fort complex, of which 300 temples are identified as belonging to Jainism and rest 60 to Hinduism. The fifteen feet thick boundary walls of the fort are so unbelievably magnanimous, that it's often called The Great Wall Of India, comparing it to The Great Wall Of China. The fort was reconstructed in its present structure by Rana...
Table Of Contents : Historical Vs Mythological Who Was Mahavira? Mahavira's Early Life Mahavira's Renunciation Mahavira's Nirvana Who Was the Buddha? Buddha's Early Life Buddha's Renunciation Buddha's Nirvana Historical Vs Mythological Before we jump into history and facts and findings, what needs to be prefaced is the difference between the adjectives 'historical' and 'mythological' and why Mahavira and the Buddha are historical and NOT mythological figures. A historical personality is someone whose existence can be evidenced, verified, and proven through historical records, excavations, archaeological evidences or basically through more than a bunch of legends and sagas here and there. On the other hand, a mythological figure is exactly what it is : a myth! And a myth is exactly what it is : unverifiable! The difference between historical and mythological would be same as the difference between say, dinosaurs and demons...
JAINISM'S fight for recognition as a distinct, independent religion is almost a century old. It started when during the British Raj the Viceroy and Governor General of India, Lord Minto, under a reformist movement, decided to give the religious minorities a proper representation in the central legislature. In this regard, the then president of the Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain Sabha, Seth Manek Chand Hirachand wrote a petition for the inclusion of the Jain community for representation in the council separately from Hinduism and Buddhism. In his reply dated October 15th, 1909 to this petition, the Secretary to the Government of Bombay stated, "I am directed to inform you that a number of seats have been reserved for representation of minorities by nomination and that in allotting them, the claim of the important Jain Community will receive full consideration." The 97 year long conquest for independent recognition came to an end when finally, in year 2006,...