Chandabai

Pandita Brahmacharini Chandabai (पंडिता ब्रह्मचारिणी चन्दाबाई) (1880–1977) was a Jain scholar and a pioneer of women's education in India.^[1] She was the founder of the oldest women's publication in India that is still published Jain Mahiladarsh^[2]

Daughter of Narayandas Agrwal of Vrindavan UP, a prominent citizen and a proponent of Indian's independence, she was married at age 11 to Dharmakumar, the 18 year old grandson of the famous zamindar and scholar Pandit Prabhudas Jain of Arrah. This distinguished family had built a temple at Arrah in 1819,^[3] and later founded a prominent library and research institution.^[4] Dharmakumar died the next year. His older brother, Devkumar Jain, himself a Jain scholar, encourage Chandabai to study, which was uncommon in that period.^[5]

Chandabai studied the classical subjects including Sanskrit, Prakrit, dharmashastra, nyaya (logic), literature and grammar. She earned the title Pandita from Kashi. She was a good orator, she gave her first speech at Panipat during a Panch-kalyanak Pratishtha at the age of 17.

She established a school for girls in 1907, which came to be known as the Jain Balasharm in 1921. Dr. Nemichandra Jyotishacharya, who later emerged as a major Jain scholar, was appointed by her to be the director of the Balasharm in 1939. During the interview, she asked him questions on Sanskrit and Prakrit texts like Devagama Stotra, Atmanushasana, Gommatsar Jivakanda etc.

She often herself served sick students at the Balashrama. She nursed a girl sick with typhoid in 1943, who eventually got better and later earned the Nyayatirtha degree.

She started a magazine Jain Mahiladarsh in 1921 and edited it for many years. She wrote several books including Updesh Ratna Mala, Saubhagya Ratna Mala, Nibandh Ratna Mala, Adarsh Kahaniyan, Adarsh Nibandh, Nibandh Darpan.

See also

• Agrawal and Agrawal Jain
• Arrah
• Jainism
• Digambar Jain Mahasabha

References

1. ^ http://jainsamaj.org/celebrities/chandabai-31202.htm
2. ^ Jain Mahiladarsh http://www.jainmahiladarsh.com/
3. ^ Report By Archaeological Survey of India, Alexander Cunningham, 1871-72, Vol. III
4. ^ http://jainmanuscripts.nic.in/arrah.aspx SHRI DEV KUMAR JAIN ORITENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ARRAH
5. ^ Nemichandra Jyotishacharya, Ma Shri, in Jain Jagaran ke agraduta, 1952, Bharatiya Jnanapitha

Persondata
Name
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1880
Place of birth
Date of death	1977
Place of death