News on Jainism around the World

Summary

The “News on Jainism around the World” section compiles reports that highlight the enduring influence of Jainism and its interconnections with other traditions. It opens with a piece on “Spiritual Affinities in Ṛṣabha & Śiva”, noting that Jain scriptures recognise twenty‑three tīrthaṅkaras before Mahāvīra and that the Bhagavata Purāṇa and Yajurveda mention Ṛṣabha as a primordial teacher. Scholars point out that figures like Ṛṣabha, Ajitanātha and Ariṣṭanemi appear in both Jain and Hindu texts, suggesting a shared heritage that predates sectarian divisions. The article stresses that Ṛṣabha inaugurated the karmabhūmi, emphasising the development of civilisation and ethics. Another report describes how the Badri Viśāla temple in Uttarakhand venerates a deity identified by different traditions as Śiva, Brahmā or Buddha, while Jains see him as Neminātha. A hymn recited at Badrinātha praises a god worshipped by Jains, Śaivas, Vedāntins and Buddhists alike, illustrating India’s pluralistic ethos. The most substantial news item covers an archaeological discovery at Fatehpur Sikri. In late 1999 the Archaeological Survey of India discovered the superstructure of an eleventh‑century Jain temple beneath Akbar’s fort. Within weeks, excavations exposed foundations, dozens of sculptures of Jain tīrthaṅkaras and carved red‑stone pottery. Historians quoted in the report argue that medieval demolitions should be seen in context—as acts of conquest or rebuilding rather than wanton destruction—and emphasise that the findings reveal a long‑lost urban centre. The article details how ASI officials and local archaeologists excavated the site, retrieved sculptures of varying sizes and inscriptions, and concluded that the ruins belonged to a rich Jain complex. Together these pieces underscore the antiquity and breadth of Jain influence. They also show how archaeology and comparative theology can bridge communities by revealing shared pasts and reintroducing forgotten heritage into public memory.