Golapurva

Infobox Indian Jurisdiction
native_name = Ahar Kshetra (Golapurva Center)| type = city | latd = 24.75 | longd = 79.14
locator_position = right | state_name = Madhya Pradesh
district = Tikamgarh
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altitude = 305

area_magnitude= sq. km
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Golapurva (Sanskrit गोलापूर्व or गोल्लापूर्व्व Hindi गोलपूरब ) is an ancient Jain community from the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.

History

Jainism had a continuous presence in the Bundelkhand region since antiquity. Jainism was flourishing during the Gupta 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 [Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001] . 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 this community have been found [Kasturchand Jain Suman, Bharatiya Digambar Jain Abhilekh aur Tirth Parichay, Madhya-Pradesh: 13 vi shati tak, Delhi, 2001] . 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).

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 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 [Golapurva Directory, Ed. Mohanlal Jain Kavyatirth, 1940] , [Golapurva Jain Samaj: Itihas Evam Sarvekshana, Ed. Surendra Kumar Jain, 1996]

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 Brahmins 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 [य. कु. मलैया, वर्धमान पुराण के सोलहवें अधिकार का अध्ययन, अनेकान्त, अगस्त १९७४, , पृ ५८-६४] . 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 Adinath 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 [य. कु. मलैया, गोलापूर्व जाति के बारे में, अनेकान्त, मई १९७२, पृ ५८-६४] . 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 pattavalis 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 munis like Kshamasagar [http://www.maitreesamooh.com/kshamasagarji/INDEX.asp] and Aryikas 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.

Distinguished Golapurva Jains

Historical

* Mahabhoj, builder of the great Shantinath temple at Bahuriband in Shak Sam. 1001
* Brothers Malhana and Jalhana, builder of Neminath temple at Mau, Sam. 1199.
* Shankar, author of Harishena Chariu in Sam. 1526 in Delhi
* 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 Shivpuri
* Sanghapati Askaran of Dhamoni, shantiyajna vidhan in 1659 CE.
* Sukhadeva, author of Vanikapriya in Sam 1767

Early 20th century

* Kshullaka Chidananda, founder of 30 schools in Bundelkhand (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 Shastri, 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
* Swami Satyabhakta, nagpur, philosopher, founder of Satya Samaj (1899-1898) [ [http://www.satyasamajuk.com/founderprofile1.htm Sarvdesic Satyasamaj Uk: Humanity, Equality, Dignity ] ]
* 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 Shivpuri, Socialist & Member of various Jain Organization.
* Professor Bhagchandra Jain Bhaskar, Nagpur, Pali scholar and prolific author

ee also

* Jainism in Bundelkhand
* Parwar

References