Tapa Gaccha is the largest

Gaccha Gaccha, alternatively spelled as Gachchha, is a monastic order, along with lay followers, of the image worshipping Murtipujaka Svetambara sect of Jainism. The term is also used in the Digambara sect. Etymology ''Gaccha'' literally means "who tr ...

(monastic order) of Svetambara

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current ...

History

Tapa Gaccha was founded by Acharya Jagatchandra Suri in

Vikram Samvat Vikram Samvat (IAST: ''Vikrama Samvat''; abbreviated VS) or Bikram Sambat B.S. and also known as the Vikrami calendar, is a Hindu calendar historically used in the Indian subcontinent. Vikram Samvat is generally 57 years ahead of Gregorian Calend ...

1285 (1228 AD). He was given the title of "Tapa" (i.e., the meditative one) by the ruler of

Mewar Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...

. This title was applied to the group. Under

Vijayanandsuri Acharya Vijayanand Suri (4 June 1837– 20 May 1896), also known as Atmaramji of Gujranwala, was the first Swetambar Murtipujaka Jain monk in modern times to receive the title of Acharya. Born and raised in Punjab, he was initiated as a Sthanak ...

's leadership and other monks, Shwetambara Murtipujak Conference was established in 1893 which reformed mendicant as well as lay religious practices. As a result of this reform, most Shwetambara Jain monks today belong to Tapa Gaccha. Today, the majority of its followers live in states such as

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...

and

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...

Denominations

Later Tapa Gachha is followed by 21 different ''samuday'' or orders. The sects follow different rituals but they do not have differences about scriptures. Some of these differences include ''Tithi'' (calendar date), veneration of gurus, pilgrimage of

Palitana temples The Palitana temples are the large groups of Jain temples located on Shatrunjaya hills near Palitana in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India. Also known as Padliptapur of Kathiawad in historic texts, the dense collection of over 800 small shrin ...

during monsoon and ''Santikaram'' (a religious text) chanting on Chaturdasi (14th day in each half of month in

Jain calendar The ''Vira Nirvana Samvat'' (era) is a calendar era beginning on 7 October 527 BCE. It commemorates the Nirvana of Lord Mahaviraswami, the 24th Jain Tirthankara. This is the oldest system of chronological reckoning which is still used in India ...

). Till the time of Nemisuri, there was a unity in Tapa Gachcha because of lack of proper knowledge about Tithi decision.

Ramchandrasuri Ramchandrasuri (1896 – 1991) was a Jain monk and scholar . Biography Ramchandrasuri was born on 3 March 1896 (Falgun Vad 4, Vikram Samvat 1952) in Padara village (now in Gujarat). He was a disciple of Acharya shri Prem Surishwarji and was initi ...

Prem Suri Acharya Prem Suri was a Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the fir ...

follows his guru and corrected tithi decision which was followed by other three groups(Samudaay) of Jain Monks. '''Be Tithi Paksh with the view that religious ritual ''Tithi'' can be omitted or held more than one time in the religious calendar. In 1935, on

Samvatsari ''Saṃvatsari'' ( sa, संवत्सरी) (lit. Annual Day or fig. Forgiveness Day) is the last day of ''Paryushana'' Shwetambar sect of Jainism. It falls on Shukla Panchami each year in the Jain calendar month of Bhadrapada, somewh ...

, the last day of

Paryushan Das Lakshana'' or ''Paryushana is the most important annual holy event for Jains and is usually celebrated in August or September in Hindi calendar (indian calendar) Bhadrapad Month's Shukla Paksha. Jains increase their level of spiritual inte ...

, Ramchandrasuri order observed it on a different day. This became a sectarian issue and tapa gachcha separated into new ''Be Tithi Paksh'' or 'two date fraction' and existing ''Ek Tithi Paksh'' or 'one date fraction'.

Anandji Kalyanji Trust Anandji Kalyanji Trust (Gujarati શેઠ આનંદજી કલ્યાણજી પેઢી) is the largest and the oldest Jain trust, managed by lay Jains, with headquarters at Ahmedabad which manages more than 1200 Jain temples. Th ...

, which manages 1200 Jain temples, unsuccessfully attempted several times to resolve the issue. In 1986, Bhuvanbhanu suri order formally separated from Premsuri order and Ramchandra suri followed for two more years then stuck to Right decision of Tithi. Other distinguishing factors include veneration of gurus using ''Vasakshep'' (a

sandalwood Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods for us ...

powder used for worship) between these two fractions. ''Be tithi'' fraction believe that Guru or Acharya should be venerated by ''Navangi Guru Poojan'', spreading powder on nine points of body while ''Ek tithi'' fraction believe that it should be spread on one point of body, ''Akangi Guru Poojan''. Both fractions differ on pilgrimage of

on mount Shatrunjay by lay persons during monsoon.

References

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* * * * {{Jainism topics Śvētāmbara sects 1229 establishments in Asia 13th-century establishments in India

History

Denominations

See also

References

Citations

Sources