87-765: Kashtha Sangha (काष्ठा संघ) was a Digambar Jain monastic order once dominant in several regions of North and Western India . It is considered to be a branch of Mula Sangh itself. It is said to have originated from a town named Kashtha. सं १५१० वर्षे माघ सुदी ८ सोमे गोपाचल दुर्गे तोमर वंशान्वये राजा श्री डूंगरेन्द्र देव राज्य पवित्रमाने श्री काष्ठासंघ माथुरान्वये भट्टारक श्री गुणकीर्ति देवास्तत्पट्टे श्री मलयकीर्ति देवास्ततो भट्टारक गुणभद्रदेव पंडितवर्य रइघू तदाम्नाये अग्रोतवंशे वासिलगोत्रे सकेलहा भार्या निवारी तयोः पुत्र विजयष्ट शाह ... साधु श्री माल्हा पुत्र संघातिपति देउताय पुत्र संघातिपति करमसीह श्री चन्द्रप्रभु जिनबिंब महाकाय प्रतिष्ठापित प्रणमति ..शुभम् भवतु .. A Gwalior Fort Inscription 1453 CE The origin of Kashtha Sangha
174-516: A belt of moist deciduous forest . As well as trees, this consists of brush, grasses and reeds. Bihar lies completely in the Subtropical region of the Temperate Zone, and its climatic type is humid subtropical . Its temperature is subtropical in general, with hot summers and cold winters. Bihar has an average daily high temperature of only 26 °C with a yearly average of 26 °C. The climate
261-400: A caste troika consisting the three communities, Kushwaha , Kurmi and Yadav also led an anti-upper caste agitation in the state of Bihar, pushing them to the prominence in the state's politics. However, the tipping point of this Backward Caste unity came in 1995 Bihar Legislative Assembly election , when the dominant OBC castes, who were at the forefront in the collective struggle against
348-642: A commentary on the Dhavala ), Samantabhadra and Siddhasena Divakara . The Satkhandagama and Kasayapahuda have major significance in the Digambara tradition. There have been several Digambara monastic lineages that all trace their descent to Mahavira. The historical lineages included Mula Sangha (further divided into Nandi , Sena , Simha and Deva Sanghas) and now largely extinct Kashtha Sangha (which included Mathura sangha, ""Lat-Vagad" etc.), Dravida Sangh. The text Darshana-Sara of Devasena discusses
435-400: A minor presence, along with the other extreme leftist parties. Nitish Kumar has been chief minister of Bihar for 13 years between 2005 and 2020. In contrast to prior governments, which emphasised divisions of caste and religion, his political platform was based on economic development, reduction of crime and corruption, and greater social equality. Since 2010, the government confiscated
522-690: A part of the Bengal Presidency of British India until 1912, when Bihar and Orissa were carved out as separate provinces. Farmers in Champaran had revolted against indigo cultivation in 1914 (at Pipra ) and 1916 (Turkaulia). In April 1917, Mahatma Gandhi visited Champaran, where Raj Kumar Shukla had drawn his attention to the exploitation of the peasants by European indigo planters. The Champaran Satyagraha that followed received support from many Bihari nationalists, such as Rajendra Prasad , Shri Krishna Sinha and Anugrah Narayan Sinha . In
609-606: A reduction in crime and corruption. The name Bihar is derived from the Sanskrit and Pali word vihāra ( Devanagari : विहार), meaning "abode" and usually referred to a Buddhist monastery. The region roughly encompassing the present state had many Buddhist vihāras, the abodes of Buddhist monks in the ancient and medieval periods. Chirand , on the northern bank of the Ganga River , in Saran district , has an archaeological record from
696-591: A renowned Jain scholar, after researching the scriptures of the Digambara sect described several points of critique: - Nalini Balbir , another renowned scholar of Jainism , has criticised the Digambara views on liberation of women and advocates for a more inclusive and gender-equal interpretation of the scriptures. She lists her criticism in the following manner: - Balbir states that: The Digambara sect's view that women cannot achieve liberation in their present birth
783-622: A rise in substance abuse. Bihar generally ranks among the weakest in health outcomes in comparison to other Indian states because it lacks adequate health care facilities. While the National Health Mission , the Clinical Establishments Act of 2010 , and the formation of the Empowered Action Group (EAG) provide federal funds to expand and improve healthcare services, Bihar's ability to fully utilise this funding
870-449: A scholar of Hindu and Jain studies, less than one fifth of all Jains in India have a Digambara heritage. According to Heinrich Zimmer , the word Digambara is a combination of two Sanskrit words: dik (दिक्) (space, sky) and ambara (अम्बर) (garment), referring to those whose garments are of the element that fills the four quarters of space. The Digambaras and Śvetāmbara disagree on how
957-529: A total area of 94,163 km (36,357 sq mi), with an average elevation above sea level of 173 feet (53 m). It is land locked by Nepal in the north, Jharkhand in the south West Bengal in the east and Uttar Pradesh to the west. It has three parts on the basis of physical and structural conditions: the Southern Plateau , the Shivalik Region , and Bihar's Gangetic Plain . Furthermore,
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#17328551014071044-507: A treatise about the soul and Karma theory, written in Prakrit language. Philologically, the text belongs to about the 2nd-century, and has nothing that suggests it is of "immemorial antiquity". In details, the text is quite similar in its teachings to those found in Prajnapana – the 4th upanga – of Śvetāmbaras. Between the two, the poetic meter of Satkhandagama suggests it was composed after
1131-485: Is Hindi , which shares official status alongside that of Urdu . The main native languages are Maithili , Magahi and Bhojpuri . But there are several other languages being spoken at smaller levels. In Ancient and Classical India , the area that is now Bihar was considered the centre of political and cultural power and as a haven of learning. From Magadha arose India's first empire, the Maurya empire , as well as one of
1218-895: Is a 'biological determinism' that is not supported by Jain scriptures. This view is a 'patriarchal interpretation' that has been 'superimposed' on the original teachings of Mahavira. Kristi L. Wiley, a scholar of Jainism , has also criticized the Digambara sect's views on liberation of women. Specifically, she highlights the following points of critique: Scriptures of other religions and schools of thought such as Buddhism , Islam , and Sikhism also criticize and condemn public nudity followed by Digambara monks. Other than rejecting or accepting different ancient Jain texts, Digambaras and Śvetāmbara differ in other significant ways such as: These are as follows 1. Ahimsa - nonviolence, non-injury, and absence of desire to harm any life forms. 2. Satya - truthful in one's thoughts, speech and action. 3. Asteya - non-stealing". One must not steal, nor have
1305-639: Is a direct result of the policies of the central government , such as the freight equalisation policy , its apathy towards Bihar, lack of Bihari sub-nationalism, and the Permanent Settlement of 1793 by the British East India Company . The state government has, however, made significant strides in developing the state. Improved governance has led to an economic revival in the state through increased investment in infrastructure, better healthcare facilities, greater emphasis on education, and
1392-462: Is administratively divided into nine divisions and 38 districts. For the administration of urban areas, Bihar has 19 municipal corporations , 89 nagar parishads (city councils), and 154 nagar panchayats (town councils). (6,550 sq mi) (4,766 sq mi) (6,620 sq mi) (2,661 sq mi) (3,353 sq mi) (2,277 sq mi) (3,864 sq mi) (2,158 sq mi) (3,807 sq mi) Note : * Population data obtained from
1479-460: Is completely unrelated to Digambar Jain tradition, even though they also practice nudity. The Digambara Jains worship completely nude idols of tirthankaras (omniscient beings) and siddha (liberated souls). The tirthankara is represented either seated in yoga posture or standing in the Kayotsarga posture. The truly "sky-clad" ( digambara ) Jaina statue expresses the perfect isolation of
1566-448: Is considered to be parigraha (possession), which ultimately leads to attachment. The monks carry picchi , a broom made up of fallen peacock feathers for removing small insects to avoid causing injury and Kamandalu (the gourd for carrying pure, sterilized water). The head of all monastics is called Āchārya , while the saintly preceptor of saints is the upādhyāya . The Āchārya has 36 primary attributes ( mūla guņa ) in addition to
1653-548: Is guided by a code called mulacara ( mulachara ). This includes 28 mūla guņas (primary attributes) for the monk. The oldest text containing these norms is the 2nd-century Mulachara attributed to Vattekara, that probably originated in the Mathura region. These are: 5 mahāvratas (great vows); 5 samitis (restraints); 5 indriya nirodha (control of the five senses); 6 āvaśyakas (essential observations); and 7 niyamas (rules). Digambara monks do not wear any clothes as it
1740-803: Is often attributed to Lohacharya in several texts and inscriptions from Delhi region. The Kashtasangh Gurvavali identifies Lohacharya as the last person who knew Acharanga in the Digambara tradition, who lived until the 683rd year of the nirvana of Lord Mahavira . the Darshanasara of Devasena (VS 990) attributes the origin to Kumarasena in Vikram Samvat 753. Acharya Chandrasena initiated Aryanandi. Aryanandi initiated Virasena and Jayasena. Virasena initiated six disciples who were Dasharayguru, Jinasena , Vinayasena, Shripal, Padmasena and Devasena. Dasharayguru and Jinasena initiated Gunabhadra who later initiated Lokasena. Vinayasena initiated Kumarasena who started
1827-708: Is referred to as the Golden Age of India in science, mathematics, astronomy, commerce, religion, and Indian philosophy . Bihar and Bengal were invaded by Rajendra Chola I of the Chola dynasty in the 11th century. Buddhism in Magadha declined due to the invasion of Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji , during which many of the viharas were destroyed along with the universities of Nalanda and Vikramashila . Some historians believe that thousands of Buddhist monks were massacred during
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#17328551014071914-660: Is the 18th Tiger Reserve of India , ranked fourth in terms of the density of its tiger population. It has a diverse landscape and biodiversity in addition to sheltering protected carnivores. Vikramshila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary in Bhagalpur region is a reserve for the endangered South Asian river dolphin . Other species in Bihar include leopard , bear , hyena , bison , chital and barking deer . Crocodilians including gharials and muggers as well as Gangetic turtles can be found in
2001-549: Is the official language of the state and is spoken natively by 25.54% of the total population. At 8.42%, Urdu is the second official language in 15 districts of the state. However, the majority of the people speak one of the Bihari languages , most of which were classified as dialects of Hindi during the census. The major ones are Bhojpuri (24.86%), Maithili (12.55%) and Magahi (10.87%) Angika and Bajjika , two other Bihari languages, are classified under other dialects of Hindi in
2088-484: Is the principal holder of the country's pyrite reserves and possesses 95% of all known resources. In May 2022, a gold mine was found in the district of Jamui . It accounts for more than 44% of the country's gold reserve, approximately 223 million tons. At the 2011 census , Bihar was the third most populous state of India with a total population of 104,099,452. It was also India's most densely populated state , with 1,106 persons per square kilometre. The sex ratio
2175-476: Is very warm, but has only a very few tropical and humid months. Several months of the year it is warm to hot at temperatures continuously above 25 °C, sometimes up to 29 °C. Due to less rain the best time for travelling is from October to April. The most rainy days occur from May to September. Bihar has a nature conservation area of 6,845 km (2,643 sq mi), which is 7.27% of its geographical area. The sub-Himalayan foothill of Someshwar and
2262-506: The moksha of Mahavira. That anga was also lost with the death of those two. Dharasena's teachings that have survived are Ṣaṭkhaṅḍāgama (Scripture of Six Parts) and Kasayapahuda (Treatise on the Passions), which were written on palm leaves near a cave in Mount Girnar (Gujarat) and a copy of which with a 12th-century commentary came to Tulu Nadu (south Karnataka). This has survived as
2349-535: The Battle of Buxar (1764), the British East India Company obtained the diwani rights (rights to administer and collect tax revenue) for Bihar, Bengal , and Odisha . The rich resources of fertile land, water, and skilled labour had attracted the foreign imperialists, particularly the Dutch and British, in the 18th century. A number of agriculture-based industries had been started in Bihar by foreign entrepreneurs. Bihar remained
2436-558: The Neolithic age ( c. 2500–1345 BCE ) . Regions of Bihar – such as Magadha , Mithila , and Anga – are mentioned in religious texts and epics of ancient India . Mithila gained prominence after the establishment of the Videha Kingdom. During the late Vedic period ( c. 1100 –500 BCE), Videha became one of the major political and cultural centers of South Asia, along with Kuru and Pañcāla. The kings of
2523-509: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) between Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Hindustani Awam Morcha , Rashtriya Lok Samta Party , Janata Dal (United) (JDU) and Indian National Congress (INC). There are many other political formations. The Communist Party of India had a strong presence in Bihar at one time, which has since weakened. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) and CPM and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) have
2610-404: The dravyanuyoga (entity exposition) contains metaphysical discussions. In the Digambara tradition, it is not the oldest texts that have survived in its temples and monasteries that attract the most study or reverence, rather it is the late 9th-century Mahapurana (universal history) of Jinasena that is the most revered and cherished. The Mahapurana includes not only religious history, but also
2697-454: The Ācārāṅga Sūtra . Bihar Bihar ( / b ɪ ˈ h ɑːr / ; Hindi: [bɪˈɦaːr] ) is a state in Eastern India . It is the third largest state by population , the 12th largest by area , and the 15th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West Bengal to the east, and Jharkhand to
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2784-495: The 'land reforms', which could have helped Backward Castes and the Scheduled Castes ". The upper backwards relied on the political parties of Lok Dal and later Janata Dal for increasing their political representation. The year of 1989-90 saw the implementation of Mandal Commission 's recommendation by Vishwanath Pratap Singh 's government, which reserved 27% per cent seats in government jobs and educational institutions for
2871-665: The 12th century. D. N. Jha suggests, instead, that these incidents were the result of Buddhist–Brahmin skirmishes in a fight for supremacy. After the rule of the Pala Empire , the Karnat dynasty came into power in the Mithila region in the 11th century and they were succeeded by the Oiniwar dynasty in the 14th century. Aside from Mithila, there were other small kingdoms in medieval Bihar. The area around Bodh Gaya and much of Magadha came under
2958-423: The 1960s saw the rise of political instability in the state with dwindling power of Indian National Congress and rise of parties like Samyukta Socialist Party . The leaders belonging to Backward Castes became vocal for their political rights. The toppling of Mahamaya Prasad Sinha government by Jagdeo Prasad hastened the end of dominance of Forward Caste backed Indian National Congress in the state. Bihar covers
3045-463: The 2023 census, 81.99% of Bihar's population practised Hinduism , while 17.70% followed Islam . Christianity (0.05%), Buddhism (0.08%), and Sikhism (0.01%) are religious minorities in Bihar . Most of Bihar's population belongs to Indo-Aryan-speaking ethnic groups. It also attracted Punjabi Hindu refugees during the Partition of British India in 1947. Languages of Bihar from 2011 census Hindi
3132-467: The 28 mentioned above. The monks perform kayotsarga daily, in a rigid and immobile posture, with the arms held stiffly down, knees straight, and toes directed forward. Female monastics in Digambara tradition are known as aryikas . Digambara nuns, unlike the monks in their tradition, wear clothes. Given their beliefs such as non-attachment and non-possession, the Digambara tradition has held that women cannot achieve salvation (moksha) as men can, and
3219-516: The Buddhist Pithipatis of Bodh Gaya . The Khayaravala dynasty were present in the southwestern portions of the state until the 13th century. Many famous Buddhist and Hindu philosophers and scholars have originated or studied in Bihar during the period from the 5th to 13th century at institutions like Nalanda and Vikramashila including Kamalaśīla , Ratnākaraśānti , Śāntarakṣita , Abhayakaragupta , Udayana and Gaṅgeśa . After
3306-576: The Digambara subtradition started in Jainism. According to Digambaras, they are the original followers of Mahavira and Śvetāmbara branched off later in the time of Bhadrabahu when their forecast twelve-year famine triggered their migration from central India. One group of Jain monks headed west and north towards Rajasthan , while the second group headed south towards Karnataka . The former became Śvetāmbara and retained their "heretic" beliefs and practices such as wearing "white clothes" they adopted there, say
3393-532: The Digambaras. In contrast, according to Śvetāmbara, they are the original followers, and Digambaras arose 609 years after the death of Mahavira (about 1st century CE) because of an arrogant man named Sivabhuti who became a Jain monk in a fit of pique after a fight at home. He is accused of starting the Digambara Jain tradition with what Śvetāmbara call as "eight concealments", of rejecting Jain texts preserved by
3480-919: The Dun ranges in the Champaran district have belts of moist deciduous forests, mixed with shrubs, grass and reeds. High rainfall (above 1,600 mm [63 in]) promotes forests of Sal ( Shorea robusta ) in these areas. Other important trees are Sal Cedrela Toona, Khair , and Semal. Deciduous forests also occur in the Saharsa and Purnia districts, with common trees including Shorea robusta ( sal ), Diospyros melanoxylon ( kendu ), Boswellia serrata ( salai ), Terminalia tomentose ( asan ), Terminalia bellerica ( bahera ), Terminalia arjuna ( arjun ), Pterocarpus marsupium ( paisar ), and Madhuca indica ( mahua ). Valmiki National Park covers about 800 km (309 sq mi) of forest and
3567-582: The Forward Castes, were divided into two rival political camps. While one of these camps was led by Yadavs under Janata Dal , the other camp was led by Koeri and Kurmis, who assembled under the Samata Party . According to Sanjay Kumar, this was the election in which the caste divide in the state was most evident not between the Forward and Backward Castes, but rather between two groups of Backward Castes itself. It
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3654-585: The Governor is the head of the government of Bihar, and is appointed by the President of India . The Chief minister is the executive head of the government who, with its cabinet ministers, makes all important policy decisions. The political party or coalition of political parties having a majority in the Bihar Legislative Assembly forms the government. The Chief Secretary is the head of the bureaucracy of
3741-737: The Kashtha Sangha. Several of the Jain communities were affiliated with the Kashtha Sangha. The Agrawal Jains were the major supporters of Kashtha Sangha. They are said to have been initiated by Lohacharya in antiquity. Muni Sabha Singh writes in his Padma Purana (VS 1711) काष्ठा संघी माथुर गच्छ, पहुकर गण में निरमल पछ|| महा निर्ग्रन्थ आचारज लोह, छांड्या सकल जाति का मोह|| अग्रोहे निकट प्रभु ठाढे जोग, करैं वन्दना सब ही लोग|| अग्रवाल श्रावक प्रतिबोध, त्रेपन क्रिया बताई सोध|| Kashta Sangha included several orders: Kashta Sangha eventually merged into Mula Sangh . The celebrated poet and pratishthacharya Raighu
3828-566: The Mudbidri manuscripts, which were used by regional Jains not for reading and study, but as an object of devotional worship for centuries. In the 19th century, the fragile and decaying manuscript was copied and portions of it leaked to scholars between 1896 and 1922 despite objections of Digambara monks. It is considered to be the oldest known Digambara text ultimately traceable to the 2nd-century. These two oldest known Digambara tradition texts – Satkhandagama and Kasayapahuda – are predominantly
3915-600: The Son, Budhi Gandak , Chandan, Orhani and Phalgu . Bihar has some small hills, such as the Rajgir hills in center, Kaimur Range in south-west and Shivalik Range in North. Bihar has a forest area of 6,764.14 km , which is 7.1 per cent of its geographical area. The sub-Himalayan foothills of Shivalik ranges , primary Someshwar and Dun mountain, in West Champaran district are clad in
4002-620: The Videha Kingdom were called Janakas . Sita , a daughter of one of the Janaks of Mithila is mentioned as the consort of Lord Rama , in the Hindu epic Ramayana , written by Valmiki . The Videha Kingdom later became incorporated into the Vajjika League which had its capital in the city of Vaishali , which is also in Mithila. Vajji had a republican form of government where the head of state
4089-544: The archeological evidences which indicate that Jain monks moved from the practice of total nudity towards wearing clothes in later period. Tirthankara statues found in Mathura and dated to 2nd-century CE or after are naked. The oldest Tirthankara statue wearing a cloth is dated in 5th century CE. Digamabara statues of tirthankara belonging to Gupta period has half-closed eyes. In 17th-century, adhyatma movement in Agra led to rise of terapanthi and bisapanthi sub-sects based on
4176-426: The best a nun can achieve is to be reborn as a man in the next rebirth. The monks are held to be of higher status than nuns in Digambara monasteries, states Jeffery Long. From the Digambara monk's perspective, both Digambara nuns and Śvetāmbara monastic community are simply more pious Jain laypeople, who do not or are unable to fully practice the Jain monastic vows. Digambara nuns are relatively rare in comparison to
4263-569: The census. Maithili is a recognised regional language of India under the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Proponents have called for Bhojpuri, Magahi, Angika, and Bajjika to receive the same status. Smaller communities of Bengali and Surjapuri speakers are found in some parts of the state, especially in the eastern districts and urban areas. Under the Constitution of India ,
4350-707: The differences over acceptance of authority of bhattarakas . King Jai Singh II (1688–1743) of Amer kingdom built separate temples for the two sub-sects in his newly established capital of Jaipur . Terapanthis , led by scholars like Pandit Todarmal and Banarasidas , rejected the authority of bhattarakas . Early Jain images from Mathura depict Digambara iconography until late fifth century CE where Śvetāmbara iconography starts appearing. According to Digambara texts, after liberation of Mahavira , three Anubaddha Kevalīs attained Kevalajñāna (omniscience) sequentially – Gautama Gaņadhara , Acharya Sudharma Swami, and Jambusvami in next 62 years. During
4437-561: The efforts of the land redistribution programme, which may have alleviated the huge caste based income inequalities. Unscrupulous tactics such as absentee landlordism neutralised the reforms which was architected by Krishna Ballabh Sahay . In the Zamindari areas of Bihar, such as Bhojpur district , the Dalits were also subjected to frequent humiliation and practice of begar existed. This led to first spark of mass scale naxalism to grew up in
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#17328551014074524-577: The following lineage of teachers are revered: Mahavira , Gautama , Kundakunda , Bhadrabahu , Umaswami , Samantabhadra , Siddhasena Divakara , Pujyapada , Manatunga , Virasena , Jinasena , Nemichandra . Kundakunda is considered the most significant scholar monk of the Digambara tradition of Jainism. He authored Prakrit texts such as the Samayasāra and the Pravacanasāra . Other prominent Acharyas of this tradition were, Virasena (author of
4611-451: The intent to steal, another's property through action, speech, and thoughts. 4. Aparigraha - the virtue of non-possessiveness or non-greediness. Mahavira inserted 5th vow ie Brahmacharya - sexual restraint or practice of celibacy. Renunciation of sex and marriage. This was thought to be understood to within 4th vow of Aparigraha, but was more specified as 5th vow of Brahmacharya. Mahāvīra taught Five vows. The Digambara sect disagrees with
4698-401: The landed section of society belonged primarily to Forward Castes and a section of Upper Backward Castes , on the other hand, the landless were the people belonging to Schedule Castes and a section of Other Backward Castes . Formation of caste based private armies called Senas' took place in response to violent activities of the naxalites. One of the most dreaded caste army of the landlord
4785-414: The landless section of Bihari society and the landed elite who controlled the government at various level. This was an outcome of the failed land reform drive and improper implementation of the land ceiling laws that were passed by Indian National Congress government in the 1950s. Landed castes like Rajput and Bhumihar became suspicious of the land reforms and used their influence in government to hinder
4872-522: The members of Other Backward Class . This event mobilised them against the "politics of religion" of the Bhartiya Janata Party , which was backed by the Forward Castes . Important figures such as Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar took a leading role in this mobilisation, and by 1990, the upper backwards– Koeri , Kurmi , Yadav became the new political elites of the state. Historically,
4959-561: The mid-second century Ṣaṭkhaṅḍāgama "Scripture in Six Parts" of Dharasena (the Moodabidri manuscripts). One of the most important scholar-monks of the Digambara tradition was Kundakunda . Digambara Jain communities are currently found mainly in most parts of North India in states like Rajasthan , Uttar Pradesh , Delhi , Bihar , Jharkhand , Madhya Pradesh , parts of south Maharashtra and Karnataka . According to Jeffery D. Long ,
5046-401: The next hundred years, five Āchāryas had complete knowledge of the scriptures, as such, called Śruta Kevalīs , the last of them being Āchārya Bhadrabahu. Spiritual lineage of heads of monastic orders is known as Pattavali . Digambara tradition consider Dharasena to be the 33rd teacher in succession of Gautama, 683 years after the nirvana of Mahavira. In the Digambara tradition,
5133-529: The northern and central regions of Bihar, the Kisan Sabha (peasant movement) was an important consequence of the independence movement. It began in 1929 under the leadership of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati who formed the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS), to mobilise peasant grievances against the zamindari attacks on their occupancy rights. The movement intensified and spread from Bihar across
5220-415: The nuns found in Śvetāmbara traditions. According to a 1970s and 1980s survey of Jain subtraditions, there were about 125 Digambara monks in India and 50 Digambara nuns. This compared to 3,400 nuns and 1,200 monks in the Śvetāmbara tradition. The Digambar Akhara , which along with other akharas , also participates in various inter-sectarian ( sampradaya ) religious activities including Kumbh Melas ,
5307-1305: The one who has stripped off every bond. His is an absolute "abiding in itself," a strange but perfect aloofness, a nudity of chilling majesty, in its stony simplicity, rigid contours, and abstraction. Modern Digambara community is divided into various sub-sects viz. Terapanthi , Bispanthi , Taranpanthi (or Samayiapanthi ), Gumanapanthi , Totapanthi and Kanjipanthi . Both the terapanthis and bisapanthis worship with ashta-dravya which includes jal (water), chandan (sandal), akshata (sacred rice), pushp (yellow rice), deep (yellow dry coconut), dhup ( kapoor or cloves) and phal (almonds). Bisapanthi religious practices include aarti and offerings of flowers, fruits and prasad whereas terapanthis don't use them. Bispanthis worship minor gods and goddesses like Yaksha and Yakshini like Bhairava and Kshetrapala whereas terapanthis do not. Bisapanthis accept bhattarakas as their religious leaders but terapanthis do not. Terapanthis occur in large numbers in Rajasthan , Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh . Bisapanthis are concentrated in Rajasthan, Gujarat , Maharastra and South India. Padmanabh Jaini,
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#17328551014075394-399: The plains of Bhojpur. This armed struggle was led initially by Master Jagdish Mahto , a school teacher turned naxalite. Soon, the struggle spread into other parts of Bihar, where the landlords and agricultural labourers locked horns against each other. Between 1950 and 2000, several massacres took place. In Bihar, unlike the other parts of India, the naxalism took the form of caste conflict as
5481-486: The properties of corrupt officials and redeveloped them into school buildings. They also introduced the Bihar Special Court Act to curb crime. It also legislated a two-hour lunch break on Fridays, to enable Muslim employees to pray and thereby reduce absenteeism. The government has prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol in the state since March 2016, which has been linked to a drop in tourism and
5568-527: The religion of Buddhism arose in the region that now makes up modern Bihar. The Mauryan Empire, which originated from Magadha in 325 BCE, was founded by Chandragupta Maurya , who was born in Magadha. It had its capital at Pataliputra (modern Patna ). Mauryan Emperor Ashoka , who was born in Pataliputra (Patna), is often considered to be among the most accomplished rulers in world history. The Gupta Empire , which originated in Magadha in 240 CE,
5655-689: The rest of India, culminating in the formation of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) at the Lucknow session of the Indian National Congress in April ;1936, where Saraswati was elected as its first president. Following independence, Bihari migrant workers have faced violence and prejudice in many parts of India, such as Maharashtra , Punjab , and Assam . Decades following the independence in 1947 were full of violent conflicts between
5742-658: The river systems. Karkatgarh Waterfall on Karmanasa River is a natural habitat of the crocodilians. In 2016, the government of Bihar has accepted the proposal of the forest authorities to turn the area into a Crocodile Conservation Reserve (CCR). Other notable wildlife sanctuaries include Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary , Bhimbandh Wildlife Sanctuary and Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary . Many varieties of local and migratory bird species can be seen in natural wetland of Kanwar Lake Bird Sanctuary , Asia's largest oxbow lake and only Ramsar site in Bihar, and other notable wetlands of Baraila lake, Kusheshwar Nath Lake, Udaypur lake . Bihar
5829-522: The sociological history of the Jaina people – including the Jain caste system and its origins as formulated by Rishabhanatha – from the Digambara Jaina perspective. The Digamabara tradition maintains a long list of revered teachers, and this list includes Kundakunda, Samantabhadra, Pujyapada, Jinasena, Akalanka, Vidyanandi, Somadeva and Asadhara. The lifestyle and behavioral conduct of a Digambara monk
5916-407: The south. Bihar is split by the river Ganges , which flows from west to east. On 15 November 2000, southern Bihar was ceded to form the new state of Jharkhand . Only 11.27% of the population of Bihar lives in urban areas as per a 2020 report. Additionally, almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, giving Bihar the highest proportion of young people of any Indian state. The official language
6003-652: The state, under whom a hierarchy of officials is drawn from the Indian Administrative Service , Indian Police Service , Indian Forest Service , and different wings of the state civil services. The judiciary is headed by the Chief Justice of the High Court. Bihar has a high court in Patna, which has been functioning since 1916. All the branches of the government are located in the state capital, Patna. The state
6090-422: The sum of the populations of the districts. The politics of Bihar have been based on caste since the onset of Indian independence . The important castes with political presence and influence in Bihar includes: Yadav , Koeri , Kurmi , Rajput , Bhumihar , and Brahmin . Before 1990, politics was dominated by Forward Castes – Brahmin, Rajput, Bhumihar, and Kayastha . The numerous Other Backward Class group
6177-428: The supposed differences among the orders. The Mula sangha orders include Deshiya Gana (Bhattarakas of Shravanabelgola etc.) and Balatkara Gana (Bhattarakas of Humcha , and numerous lineages of North/Central India) traditions. The Bhattarakas of Shravanabelagola and Mudbidri belong to Deshiya Gana and the Bhattaraka of Humbaj belongs to the Balatkara Gana . The Digambara sect of Jainism rejects
6264-529: The texts and canonical literature of the Śvetāmbara sect. They believe that the words of Mahavira neither survive nor could be recorded. The original teachings went through a rapid period of decline, state the Digambaras, and Śvetāmbara claims of preserving the sacred knowledge and ancient angas is false. According to the Digambaras , their 33rd achārya was Dharasena who knew one anga , and he taught these to Pushpadanta and Bhutabali , 683 years after
6351-429: The texts they consider as important. Digambara monks cherish the virtue of non-attachment and non-possession of any material goods. Monks carry a community-owned picchi , which is a broom made of fallen peacock feathers for removing and thus saving the life of insects in their path or before they sit. The Digambara literature can be traced only to the first millennium, with its oldest surviving sacred text being
6438-555: The throne. Ajatashatru founded the city of Pataliputra which later became the capital of Magadha. He declared war and conquered the Vajjika League . The Haryanka dynasty was followed by the Shishunaga dynasty . Later, the Nanda dynasty ruled a vast tract stretching from Punjab to Odisha . The Nanda dynasty was replaced by the Maurya Empire , India's first empire. The Maurya Empire and
6525-516: The tradition of "naked ascetics" the Digambar monks. In 2011, Patrick Olivelle stated that the context in which the Greek records mention gymnosophists include ritual suicide by cremation traceable to ancient Brahmanism , rather than the traditional Jain ritual of embracing death by starvation and taking samadhi by voluntarily sacrificing everything including food and water ( sallekhana ). Dundas talks about
6612-698: The vast stretch of the fertile Bihar Plain is divided by the Ganges River into two unequal parts – North Bihar and South Bihar. The Ganges flows west–east and, along with its tributaries, regularly floods parts of the Bihar plain. The main northern tributaries are the Gandak and Koshi , which originate in the Nepalese Himalayas, and the Bagmati , which originates in the Kathmandu Valley . Other tributaries are
6699-521: The world's most widely adhered-to religions: Buddhism . Magadha empires, notably under the Maurya and Gupta dynasties, unified large parts of South Asia under a central rule. Another region of Bihar, Mithila , was an early centre of learning and the centre of the Videha kingdom. However, since the late 1970s, Bihar has lagged far behind other Indian states in terms of social and economic development. Many economists and social scientists claim that this
6786-536: The worst feudal cruelties". In 2005, the World Bank believed that issues faced by the state were "enormous" because of "persistent poverty, complex social stratification, unsatisfactory infrastructure and weak governance". As of 2023, there are two main political formations: the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which comprises Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP); and
6873-506: The Śvetāmbara interpretations, and reject the theory of difference in Parshvanatha and Mahāvīra's teachings. However, Digambaras as well as Śvetāmbaras follow Five vows as taught by Mahavira . The difference is only that Śvetāmbaras believe Parshvanatha taught one vow less (the Four vows except Brahmacharya ) than Mahavira . However, monks of Śvetāmbara sect also follow all 5 vows as stated in
6960-494: The Śvetāmbara text. Digambaras, unlike Śvetāmbaras, do not have a canon. They do have a quasi-canonical literature grouped into four literary categories called anuyoga (exposition) since the time of the Digambara scholar Rakshita. The prathmanuyoga (first exposition) contains the universal history, the karananuyoga (calculation exposition) contains works on cosmology, the charananuyoga (behaviour exposition) includes texts about proper behaviour for monks and lay people, while
7047-495: The Śvetāmbara tradition, and misunderstanding the Jain ideology including those related to nuns and clothes. Neither of these explanations can be found in early Jain or non-Jain texts. The earliest version of this Digambara story appears in the 10th century CE, while the earliest version of the Śvetāmbara story appears in the 5th century CE. In 1943, Heinrich Zimmer proposed that the Greek records of 4th-century BCE mention gymnosophists (naked philosophers) which may have links to
7134-553: Was Ranvir Sena , which was involved in massacres of Dalits in Laxmanpur Bathe. The Dalit struggle against these caste armies was led by Indian People's Front and its successor Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation , which was controlled at the upper echelon by the middle peasant castes such as the Koeris and Yadavs , with Dalits and Extremely Backward Castes forming its mass support base and activists. Meanwhile,
7221-418: Was 1090 females per 1000 males in the year 2020. Almost 58% of Bihar's population was below 25 years age, which is the highest in India. In 2021, Bihar has had an urbanisation rate of 20%. Bihar has an adult literacy rate of 68.15% (78.5% for males and 57.8% for females) in 2020. Population increased to 130,725,310 as per the Bihar caste survey conducted in 2023. Religion in Bihar (2023) According to
7308-867: Was a disciple of the Kashtha Sangh Bhattarakas of Gwalior . The rock carved Jain statues in the Gwalior Fort were mostly consecrated by the Kashtha Sangh Bhattarakas , as stated in the inscriptions dated between 1441 and 1474. Digambar Digambara ( / d ɪ ˈ ɡ ʌ m b ər ə / ; "sky-clad") is one of the two major schools of Jainism , the other being Śvetāmbara (white-clad). The Sanskrit word Digambara means "sky-clad", referring to their traditional monastic practice of neither possessing nor wearing any clothes. Digambara and Śvetāmbara traditions have had historical differences ranging from their dress code, their temples and iconography, attitude towards female monastics, their legends, and
7395-497: Was elected from the rajas. Based on the information found in texts pertaining to Jainism and Buddhism, Vajji was established as a republic by the sixth century BCE, before the birth of Gautama Buddha in 563 BCE, making it the first known republic in India. The Haryanka dynasty , founded in 684 BCE, ruled Magadha from the city of Rajgriha (modern Rajgir ). The two well-known kings from this dynasty were Bimbisara and his son Ajatashatru , who imprisoned his father to ascend
7482-418: Was only given a token representation in the government. This over representation of upper castes was due to their dominance in the Indian National Congress , which dominated the politics of the state for three decades after the independence of India. According to political scientist Sanjay Kumar: "Using their dominant role in state's government, in the period before 1990, the Forward Castes deliberately subverted
7569-448: Was this election from which the Forward Castes felt completely marginalised in Bihar's electoral politics and from then onwards, no longer held any significant role in the state's politics. By 2004, The Economist magazine said that "Bihar [had] become a byword for the worst of India, of widespread and inescapable poverty, of corrupt politicians indistinguishable from mafia-dons they patronise, caste-ridden social order that has retained
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