Jainism in Delhi

Ancient centre of Jainism

Delhi is an ancient centre of Jainism, home to over 165 Jain temples. Delhi has a large population of Jains spread all over the city. It has had continued presence of a Jain community throughout its history, and it is still a major Jain centre.

Alauddin Khalji recruited Thakkar Pheru a Shrimal Jain from Kannana in Haryana as a treasurer. He was an expert in coins, metals, and gems. For the benefit of his son Hemapal, he wrote several books on related subjects including Dravya Prariksha on metals and various coins; and Ratna Pariksha on various precious gems stones. He was continuously employed until the rule of Ghiasuddin Tughluq.

Jinaprabh Suri, who had wandered over a large part of India and written an account of various tirthas during Samvat 1364–1389, lived in Delhi during the rule of b. Tughluq and wrote parts of the Vividha Tirtha Kalpa there. A Jain idol originally at Hansi which was in the royal storage, was released with his efforts. It is now said to be located at the Jain temple at Chelpuri in Delhi.

Both Akbar and Jahangir, who had their capital at Agra, invited and met Jain monks. Shahjahan moved his capital to Delhi after building the walled city of Delhi called Shahjahanabad. Several Jain, such as Sahu Todar served as the imperial treasurers during the Mughal rule. A part of Shahjahanabad was allocated to the Jains on the south side of the Chandni Chowk canal, close to the imperial residence (qila mubarak, now known as the Red Fort). The Jains were permitted to have a temple during 1658 in Urdu Bazar, which was called the Urdu Mandir (now Lal Mandir), provided it did not look like a temple. Raja Harsukh Rai in the early 19th century was the chief of the Agrawal Jain community, and a builder of several Jain temples in and around Delhi including the Naya Mandir, was the imperial treasurer during Sam. 1852 Sam. 1880. Naya Mandir was the first Delhi temple to have a shikhara.

Delhi has 148 Digambara temples, mostly in the walled city areas, 61 Sthanakvasi Upashrayas and 16 Svetambara Murtipujak temples. In modern Delhi, the majority of Jains in Jain Colony (Veer Nagar), nearby Roopnagar area are Bhabra refugees from Punjab in Pakistan who arrived after the partition of India.