Tapa Gaccha

Later Tapa Gaccha is followed by 21 different samuday or orders. The sects follow different rituals but they do not have differences about scriptures.[1]

Some of these differences include Tithi (calendar date), veneration of gurus, pilgrimage of Palitana temples during monsoon and Santikaram (a religious text) chanting on Chaturdasi (14th day in each half of month in Jain calendar).[1][3][4]

Till the time of Nemisuri, there was a unity in Tapa Gachcha. Ramchandrasuri of Prem Suri separated from his guru and started 'Be Tithi Paksh' with the view that religious ritual Tithi can be omitted or held more than one time in the religious calendar. In 1935, on Samvatsari, the last day of Paryushan, Ramchandrasuri order observed it on a different day.[4] This became a sectarian issue and Tapa Gaccha separated into new Be Tithi Paksh or 'two date fraction' and existing Ek Tithi Paksh or 'one date fraction'. Anandji Kalyanji Trust, which manages 1200 Jain temples, unsuccessfully attempted several times to resolve the issue. In 1986, Ramchandrasuri order formally separated from Premsuri order.[4]

Other distinguishing factors include veneration of gurus using Vasakshep (a sandalwood powder used for worship) between these two fractions. Be tithi fraction believe that Guru or Acharya should be venerated by Navangi Guru Poojan, spreading powder on nine points of body while Ek tithi fraction believe that it should be spread on one point of body, Akangi Guru Poojan. Both fractions differ on pilgrimage of Palitana temples on mount Shatrunjay by lay persons during monsoon season.[4]

• Cort, John E. (2001), Jains in the World: Religious Values and Ideology in India, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-803037-9
• Jain, Kailash Chand (1963). Jainism in Rajasthan. Gulabchand Hirachand Doshi.
• "The religious leaders of Jain s and their ladder or leadership" (PDF).
• Jain, Babulal (2006). Samagra Jain Chaturmas Suchi. Mumbai: Ujjawal Prakashan Kandivali.