Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, was born around 444 B.C., (*1) in a village near Vaishali, which is in the modern Bihar State of East India. He was a contemporary of Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and their native lands were also closely situated. Both were from royal families that belonged to "Kshatriya" (warrior) caste. Mahavira was slightly older than Buddha, and they knew of each other. It might even be possible that they had actually encountered each other, though there has been no record which supports this point. Mahavira was 30 years old and Buddha was 29 years old, when they renounced the world and became shramanas (ascetics). It is said that Mahavira devoted himself into asceticism for 12 years, and Buddha spent 6 years of penance and meditation before they attained spiritual enlightenment.

One of them called "Niganta Nataputta" in the scriptures is Mahavira. The name signifies "a man who is from Nata clan and detached from restraints." His real name was Vardhamana. "Mahavira" is also an honorific that means literally "Great hero."

A religion that was dominant in India until that time was Brahmanism, which placed the highest value on "Vedas." It classified people into four castes, and only "Brahmans" (priest class) were supposed to be capable of communicating with Gods. Brahmanism was a religion of ritualism, in which sacrifices to Gods by Brahmans played a central part. It was those free thinkers including the "Six heathen paths" that emerged in the 5th century B.C. that raised the standard of revolt against Brahmanism. Mahavira denied the caste system and strongly criticized the practice of offering animals as sacrifice to Gods. Jainism is an atheistic religion that does not assume the beginning of the world and denies the existence of the "Creator" of everything.

From these points of view, Jainism and Buddhism have a lot in common, and they are often described as brotherly religions. A significant difference between them is that while Jainism tried to achieve spiritual enlightenment through painstaking "asceticism," Buddhism denied austerities and took the position of "middle path," between penance and pleasure. Perhaps it was because of this asceticism and exhaustive commandments of non-violence, and also because it did not form a centralized order system that Jainism did not become a mainstream in Indian history nor did they go beyond the country.

On the other hand, Buddhism became the dominant religion in place of Brahmanism in ancient India. It also prevailed beyond its native land and became universal religion. However, because of that, it would be overwhelmed by Hinduism, developed form of Brahmanism, and by Islam from outside of the country. By the 13th century, Buddhism had disappeared from the land of India.

Jainism has managed to survive in India while repeating ebbs and flows. A census conducted in 1981 indicates that there are about 3.2 million Jain followers. It accounts for merely 0.5 % of vast Indian population of 700 million. Nevertheless, their influence has been significant both in history and modern times. In terms of architectural history, however, it often followed in the footsteps of Buddhism and Hinduism, since they were still the minority.

The Jainas could feel proud of their rich cultural heritage since the earliest times. It has a religious orientation in its art in varied forms. Being predominantly idolaters, they have good iconography and icon making art. They could make the victor's icons of different sizes, materials, (wood, stone, metal, marble etc.) and postures (seated or standing). They could carve icons out of stones also. All icons have been made according to dimensions with attractive meditating faces of victors expressing the idea of successful withdrawl from worldly life. There are many idols of international accreditation-one of Bahubali at Shravanbelgola in Karnataka (983 AD) and Lord Rishabhdev ar Barvani in Madhya Pradesh state need special mention for their magnificience and heights. The icons are worshipped only after consecration ceremony lasting for seven days with high pomp and show. This ceremony has a large frequency for the last quarter of this century.

Jaina icons are found ever since 400 BC in different parts of India. They are most numerous. Seeing a number of different icons in any museum, one can judge about the development of iconography with respect to material and aesthetic beauty. Palitana is one of the best center for variety of idols. Formerly, all Jina idols were made nude and without identification marks, but later they had the marks like lion (Mahavir), hooded cobra (Parshvnatha) and bull (Rishabhdeva) etc. sometimes with or without eight auspicious symbols on both sides of identification marks. The images of many lesser deities were also incorporated later in this art. They included demigods and the like. Footprints are also a specialty of Jaina art to make one remember to follow the path led by the Victors.. Marked and adored images were also made for sectional identification later. This idol making art is a highly creditable one in Gujarat and Rajasthan states of India.

The temple making art is also superb in Jain architecture. Currently, one can distinguish the regional temples by their architectural designs in west and central part of the country. These temples are places of worship where Jina idols along with demigods and goddesses are kept on stone or marble made altar under aesthetic beauty. Many temples have fine decorative art of surprising nature such as at Khajuraho, Deogarh, Mt. Abu, Ranakpur etc. The temples sometimes have a magnificient tope in front of them such as at Hastinapur, Mathura etc. Many temples have free standing pillars called vanity-subduing pillars again a speciality of the Jains in religious field.

Cave temples-simple or rock cut are other variety found in Orissa, Bihar and south extensively. Some cave temples contain polished stone beds per chance representing the place for voluntary death. Temple arches are also found in many places. Shrines are another forms for temple- like places. The temple art has a Nagar or Dravidian style. The temples were made at distinct places some of which have developed as temple cities now like palitana, Ahar, Kundalpur, Rajgir etc. The temple art is still continuing gracefully.

Wall paintings are also found in many temples and caves representing religious stories, tenets and prominent incidents of Victors lives, mother's dreams, legendary scenes, miniature painting and palm leaf or paper decoration (manuscripts) which has also been an art of respect. The exquisite samples of this art are found in many Jain manuscript libraries. Wood carving has also been an art. It seems some of these arts have been declining considerably.

The art and architecture of the Jainas have the main objective to maintain, preserve and glorify the culture extensively. They also glorify the devotees too internally with psychological bliss. Jainas realized that true art represents the spirit of true religion. Besides its religious value, it has been taken as a treasure of the country. That is why many Jain art centers have become tourist attractions now.