Acharya Vijay Vallabhsuri 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 first in the current time cycle being ...
monk. He was a disciple of
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 ...
. He worked in
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 ...
so he was given honorific ''Punjab Kesari''.
Biography
Vallabhsuri was born on 26 October 1870 (Second day of bright half of Kartik month,
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 ...
1927) at
Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...
,
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 ...
. He was named Chhagan.
[ His parents Deepchand and Ichhabai died in his early years.]
He met 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 ...
at Janisheri Jain Upashray, Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...
. At the age of seventeen, he was initiated as a Jain monk and named Muni Vallabhvijay on 5 May 1887 (Jayesth Vad 9, Vikram Samvat 1944) at Radhanpur
Radhanpur is a town and a municipality in Patan district in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Origin of name
According to the tradition, the city is named after Radhan Khan, a descendant of Fateh Khan Baloch. Fateh Khan Baloch received a freedom fro ...
by Vijayanandsuri and he became a disciple of Muni Harshvijay. In Vikram Samvat 1981, he was conferred with the title of Acharya on Magshirsh Sudi 5 by Sumativijay at Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. He also had the title of ''Pattadhar'' conferred on him by Jain sangha
In Jainism, Sangha (Community of the pious) is a term used to refer to the fourfold community of ''Muni'' ( male ascetics), ''Aryika'' / ''Sadhvi'' (female ascetics), ''Śrāvaka'' (laymen), and ''Śrāvikā'' (laywomen).
The word is also used i ...
.
Vallabhsuri was in Gujranwala
Gujranwala ( ur, , label=none; ) is a city and capital of Gujranwala Division located in Pakistan. It is also known as "City of Wrestlers" and is quite famous for its food. It is the 5th most populous city proper after Karachi, Lahore, Faisala ...
for Chaturmas in 1947. Due to the partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, Gujaranwala fell in Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
. There was a widespread communal violence across both nations. He refused to travel by aeroplane which was arranged by the Government of India as Jain monks do not use vehicles. He travelled by foot along with other Jains of Gujaranwala and entered India via the Wagah Border
Wagah ( ur, ) or Wagha (Shahmukhi pnb, ) is a village and union council (UC 181) located in the Wahga Zone near Lahore City District, Pakistan. The town is famous for the Wagah border ceremony and also serves as a goods transit terminal and ...
and reached Amritsar
Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha r ...
in September 1947.
Vallabhsuri placed emphasis on education and inspired Jains to build more educational institutions. He is well known as the founder of Shree Parshwanath Jain Vidyalaya in 1927 at Varkana Village in Pali district of Rajasthan. The seed which he sowed has taken shape of a dense tree in Godwad area of Rajasthan. He founded Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya (at Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
, Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capital ...
, Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million ...
), Parshwanath Umed Mahavidyalaya (at Falna
Falna is a town and a tehsil in Pali District in Indian state of Rajasthan.
Demographics
India census, Falna had a population of 24,864. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Falna has an average literacy rate of 66%. Male l ...
), Atmanand Jain College (at Ambala
Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-area ...
, Malerkotla
Malerkotla is a city and district headquarters of Malerkotla district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj. The state acceded to the union of India in 1947 and was merged with ...
), Atmanand Jain High School (Ludhiana
Ludhiana ( ) is the most populous and the largest Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. The city has an estimated population of 1,618,879 2011 Indian census, 2011 census and distributed over , making Ludhiana the ...
, Ambala
Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-area ...
, Malerkotla
Malerkotla is a city and district headquarters of Malerkotla district in the Indian state of Punjab. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj. The state acceded to the union of India in 1947 and was merged with ...
, Bagwada, Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur () is a city and a Municipal corporations in India, municipal corporation in Hoshiarpur district in the Doaba region of the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. It was founded, according to tradition, during the early part of the ...
, Jandiala Guru
Jandiala Guru, commonly known as Jandiala, is a town in the Amritsar district of Punjab, India, Punjab, India. It is located on the Grand Trunk Road, and has an altitude of 229 m (754 ft).
History
Jandiala Guru is named after Jand, t ...
) and other educational institutes.[ He wrote some books and religious texts in Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi Languages. He also established the Atmanand Jain Sabha. He was also instrumental in establishing Jain unity and accessibility of Jain literature. He supported ]Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
's non-violent movement for independence of India.
He died on 22 September 1954 (Bhadrapad Vadi 11, 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 ...
2010), Tuesday at 2:32 am in Byculla
Byculla (ISO: Bhāykhaḷā; pronunciation: ʱaːjkʰəɭaː is an area of South Mumbai.
Location
Byculla is neighboured by Nagpada and Mumbai Central and Mahalaxmi on the west; Agripada, Jacob Circle on the north-west: Chinchpokli to the nor ...
, Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. More than two lakh people attended his funereal procession. A memorial dedicated to him was built there later.
Recognition
Shri Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak
Shri Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak also popularly known as Vallabh Smarak Jain Mandir Tirth is a Jain temple and a multi-faceted memorial in the sacred memory of Jain Acharya Shri Vijay Vallabh Surishwer Ji, located on GT Karnal Road, Delhi.
Histo ...
, a memorial shrine in Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, was erected to honour him. It is managed by Shree Atma Vallabh Jain Smarak Shikshan Nidhi.[ The ]India Post
India Post is a government-operated postal system in India, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications. Generally known as the Post Office, it is the most widely distributed postal system in the world. Warren Hastings ha ...
issued a postage stamp of Vallabhsuri on 21 February 2009 which depicted his image along with Vijay Vallabh Smarak as a background image.
The Statue of Peace- Guru Vallabh's high statue installed at the Vijay Vallabh Sadhana Kendra at Jaitpura in Pali
Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
, 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 ...
with the inspiration and efforts of Gachadipati Acharya Shri Nityanand suri ji ms. It is made of ashtadhatu
Ashtadhatu (), also called octo-alloy, is an alloy often used for casting metallic idols for Jain and Hindu temples in India.
The composition is laid down in the ''Shilpa shastras'', a collection of ancient texts that describe arts, crafts, and t ...
and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from ...
on the 151st birth anniversary of Vallabhsuri on 16 November 2020.
See also
* Tapa Gachchha
References
External links
Atma Vallabh Smarak Jain Mandir
Postage stamp
{{Jainism topics
Jain acharyas
Scholars of Jainism
1870 births
1954 deaths
Gujarati people
Gujarati-language writers
Indian Jain monks
19th-century Indian Jains
19th-century Jain monks
19th-century Indian monks
20th-century Indian Jain writers
20th-century Jain monks
20th-century Indian monks
Śvētāmbara monks