Tamil Jain
Tamil Jains are ethnic-Tamils and migrants from other states such as Gujarat and Rajasthan in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, who practice Jainism. The Tamil Jain is a microcommunity of around 85,000. They are predominantly scattered in northern Tamil Nadu, largely in the districts of Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Villupuram, Ranipet and Kallakurichi.
Early Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in Tamil Nadu date to the third century BCE and describe the livelihoods of Tamil Jains. Samaṇar wrote much Tamil literature, including the important Sangam literature, such as the Nālaṭiyār, the Cilappatikaram, the Valayapathi and the Civaka Cintamani. Three of the five great epics of Tamil literature are attributed to Jains.
History
Origins
Some scholars believe that Jain philosophy must have entered South India some time in the sixth century BCE.According to other scholars, Jainism must have existed in South India well before the era of Jain tirthankara Lord Mahaveer Swami. There are plenty of caves as old as fourth century with Jain inscriptions and Jain deities found around Madurai, Tiruchirāppaḷḷi, Kanyakumari and Thanjavur.
A number of Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions have been found in Tamil Nadu that date from the second century BCE. They are regarded as associated with Jain monks and lay devotees.
The exact origins of Jainism in Tamil Nadu is unclear. However, Jainism flourished in Tamil Nadu at least as early as the Sangam period. Tamil Jain tradition places their origins are much earlier. The Ramayana mentions that Rama paid homage to Jain monks living in South India on his way to Sri Lanka. Some scholars believe that the author of the oldest extant work of literature in Tamil, Tolkāppiyam, was a Jain Shraman.
Tirukkural by Thiruvalluvar is considered by many to be the work of a Jain by scholars like V. Kalyanasundarnar, Vaiyapuri Pillai, Swaminatha Iyer, and P. S. Sundaram. It emphatically supports strict vegetarianism and states that giving up animal sacrifice is worth more than thousand burnt offerings.
Silappatikaram, the earliest surviving epic in Tamil literature, was written by a Samaṇa, Ilango Adigal. This epic is a major work in Tamil literature, describing the historical events of its time and also of then-prevailing religions, Jainism, Buddhism and Shaivism. The main characters of this work, Kannagi and Kovalan, who have a divine status among Tamils, Malayalees and Sinhalese were Jains.
According to George L. Hart, who holds the endowed chair in Tamil Studies by University of California, Berkeley, has written that the legend of the Tamil Sangams or "literary assemblies", was based on the Jain sangham at Madurai:
There was a permanent Jain assembly called a Sangha established about 604 CE in Madurai. It seems likely that this assembly was the model upon which tradition fabricated the Sangam legend.
Jainism became dominant in Tamil Nadu in the fifth and sixth century CE, during a period known as the Kalabhra interregnum.
Decline and survival
Jainism began to decline around the eighth century CE, with many Tamil kings embracing Hindu religions, especially Shaivism. Still, the Chalukya, Pallava and Pandya dynasties embraced Jainism. The Shaivite legend about the impalement of the Jains in Madurai claims that 8000 Jains were impaled after they lost a contest against the Saivites, Thirugnana Sambandhar was invited by the queen of Madurai to check the atrocities against Jains and their influence on the King; however, this legend is not mentioned in any Jain text According to Paul Dundas, the story represents the abandonment of Madurai by Jains for various reasons or the gradual loss of their political influence.Jainism survived in the region during the period of decline. The Melsithamur matha was established by a monk Shantisager who arrived from Shravanabelgola sometime during the 9-12th century period as attested by the 12th century inscriptions. A Jain center associated by Acharya Akalanka in the eighth century survives at Thiruparuttikundram near Kanchi. The Tamil Jain texts of this period include 13th-century Aruṅkalacceppu, 14th cent. Mērumantarapūrāṇam and the 15th-century Śrīpurāṇam.
Revival
When India became independent in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State, comprising present day Tamil Nadu, coastal Andhra Pradesh, South Canara district Karnataka, and parts of Kerala. The state was subsequently split up along linguistic lines. In 1969, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning Tamil country.Acharya Nirmal Sagar was the first Digambar Jain monk to reenter Tamilnadu in 1975 after a gap of several centuries. After him some of the Jain nuns have visited Tamilnadu resulting in a renaissance of Jainism among the Tamil Jains. Many abandoned and crumbling temples have been renovated as a result of renewed interaction between Tamil Jains and the Jains from the rest of India. Financial grants have been provided by Bharatiya Digambar Jain Tirth Samrakshini Mahasabha and the Dharmasthala institutions. Local Jain scholars and activists have started "Ahimsa walks" to bring attention to the Tamil Jain heritage.
Archaeological evidences
Archaeological remains in Tamilnadu are discovered time to time that attest to popularity of Jainism in Tamilnadu. Most of the rock inscriptions are related to the Jain ascetics who used to commonly reside in hill caves.The ruins of Anandamangalam vestiges were discovered in Anandamangalam, a small hamlet near Orathi village in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu. The ruins had the rock-cut sculptures of yakshini Ambika and tirthankara Neminatha and Parshvanatha.
Population
The total number of Jains in Tamil Nadu as per 2011 Indian census is 83,359, which forms 0.12% of the total population of Tamil Nadu. This include the Jains who have migrated from North India. The population of Tamil Jains is estimated to be 25,000-35,000.| Parameter | Population | Male | Female |
| Total Population | 83,359 | 43,114 | 40,245 |
| Literates Population | 68,587 | 36,752 | 31,835 |
| Workers Population | 26,943 | 23,839 | 3,104 |
| Cultivators Population | 2,216 | 1,675 | 541 |
| Agricultural Workers Population | 768 | 325 | 443 |
| HH Industry Workers Population | 574 | 441 | 133 |
| Other Workers Population | 23,385 | 21,398 | 1,987 |
| Non-Workers Population | 56,416 | 19,275 | 37,141 |
The Tamil Jains are ancient natives of Tamil Nadu and belong to the Digambara sect. They generally use the title Nainar. A few in Thanjavur District, use Mudaliar and Chettiar as titles.
The former North Arcot and South Arcot districts have a large number of Jain temples, as well as a significant population of Tamil Jains.
The title Nainar has been used since antiquity for Jain monks. In Cilappatikaram a Jain temple is mentioned as Nayinar Koil and the Kalugumalai inscription refers to Jain munis as Nayinar. It is akin to the term Sahu or Sadhu in North Indian Jain inscriptions.
Religious head
Laxmisena
of the Jina Kanchi Jain Mutt or madam at Mel-Sithamoor is one of the religious heads of the community. He performs the upadesha ceremony for Jain children. In the past, this mutt had been the centre for religious study, guiding and helping the economic activities of its members, organising religious discourses, maintenance of temples and such activities. The mutt was able to achieve such multifarious operations with the help and contributions of its members. At present the mutt is also maintaining a gousala.The present finance position of the mutt is inadequate for even day-to-day maintenance. Planting of coconut and mango trees has been started to increase the revenue of the fund for the purpose of day-to-day maintenance of the mutt. The car in the mutt requires replacement of wooden wheels.