In the month of February, 2026-there was a National Conference at Kundakunda Institute of Research and Studies-wherein there were discussions on “The Historicity & of the Development of the Ancient Manuscripts”. Under this theme, the presentations were given on the Sarada and Halegannada (Ancient Kannada) Scripts and their importance and relevance to the Jainism. Secondly, there was a National Workshop exclusively on the Prakrit Language organized by Central Sanskrit University, Jaipur and Prakrit Bhasa Vikas Foundation, Sagar-Madhya Pradesh. It was help at the Incredible India destination called “Nainagiri, Chhattarpur, Near Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
Apart from studying the identified language, there entire team of faculty members and participants visited various destinations associated with Jainism like Nemgiri Temple, Madanpur, Rani Mahal, Khajaraho Shiva temple and Jain temples of Adinatha and Shantinath Bhagwan, Jatadhari Dham, Bhimkund, etc. Since the workshop also focused on the ancient inscriptions, there was an excursion trip to study the inscriptions found near the forests of Nainagiri. There was an examination and participants were motivated to receive the certificates, cash prizes, etc. It was indeed an opportunity for us to bag the cash prize and certificates (along with some religious books).
We need to thank teachers and mentors like Prof. (Dr.) Jagat Ram Bhattacharya and Dr. Ashish Kumar Jain Shahgarh. Our gratitudes and thanks to both of them. We pay our salutations to all the Jain Acaryas who had visited and resided at the Jain Digambar Temple of Nainagiri.
It is indeed a fortunate workshop for us to come up with the future projects:
- After the collection of 2 lakhs of photographs, we will be involved at the Photography Exhibitions at various places in India and other countries (online and offline).
- Since we could not find enough literature about certain places, we thought of writing and publishing the books (See the collage of different titles). These will be released at the Temple premises of Jain Digambar Temple at Nainagiri.
- We will be involved in the production and creation of various reels, short documentaries and films focusing exclusively on Jainism.
- There are some books written and publishing them on themes of temple poetry like Gathas, etc.
- There will be digital art paintings focusing on the Jaina Temples, Icons, Statues, Natural Environments, Food, etc.
- There will be 640 research papers written on various titles and topics related and associated with Jainism in Bundelkhand (covering the areas of Sagar, Nainagiri, Nemgiri, Madanpur, Khajaraho, etc.)
Apart from these, there were some online photography exhibitions held for the international students. There were two online workshops conducted on the following topics:
- International Workshop on “The Philosophy of Food & Food At The Jain Digambara Temple of Nainagiri”
- International Workshop on “The Architecture and Iconography of the Digambara Jain Temples of Nainagiri and Nemgiri, Madhya Pradesh.
Since this is the age of Artificial Intelligence, we will be focusing on projects covering digital paintings, art forms, etc. There will be some audio books or podcasts discussing and introducing the art forms and importance of these aesthetic temples of Madhya Pradesh.
It is indeed our pleasure to introduce a small gatha on the fruit “Bihu-The Signature Fruit of the Jaina Digambara Temple of Nainagiri” (The Guava):
Naiṇāgiri–bihī–gītā
Naiṇāgiri-vaṇa-tale
pakka-bihī musiyaṁti |
surahiṁdharā-phalā ete,
muṇi-hiyaṁ hasāvaṁti || 1 ||
Sukka-silāsu vasseṇa
pāṇiya-rasu pavahai |
tassa phale suha-gandho
bihīhiṁ saha jāyai || 2 ||
Madhurā vi ṇa atisārā,
kasāyā vi ṇa kaṭṭhurā |
sahaja-rasa-samaṇṇāyā,
saṁjama-raī vaḍḍhaṁti || 3 ||
Na haṇaṁti jīva-saṁghāyā,
ṇa pāvaṁ uppāyaṁti |
sāhūhiṁ bhujaṁti sayā
naiṇāgiri-bihī siyā || 4 ||
Vaṇa-vāyo hiyae lahuo,
phala-raso maṇaṁ pasārai |
bihī-phalēṇa saṁtuṭṭho
logo vi dhammaṁ sarai || 5 ||
Iyaṁ gītā lihiyā Brahmacāri Piyush Jain enaṁ Brahmī Sundarī ya.
In the end, we like to bow and give our salutations to the awesome and great Jaina Digambara Temple at Nainagiri with our gatha:
Naiṇāgiri–girigītā
Naiṇāgiri suhāvaṇo,
siddha-sevio girivaro |
jaṁ tavassa tappaṁti muṇī,
ṇivvāṇa-paho ujjalo || 1 ||
Silāsu saṁjama-sugaṁdho,
pavaṇo va maṇaṁ harai |
rattā vi dosa-mala-chāyā,
ettha ṇa vilīyaṁti || 2 ||
Guhā-giri-chāyā-ṭhio,
muṇi muṇi-māuṇaṁ bhāsai |
aṇahiṁsā-jjhāṇa-dīvo,
hiyae payāsaṁ karai || 3 ||
Itthaṁ girīhiṁ saha bhāsā,
dhammo pavattai sayā |
kālo vi thiru hoi ettha,
naiṇāgiri siddhālayo || 4 ||
Iyaṁ girigītā lihiyā
Baṁbhacārī Piyūs Jain
Baṁbhī Suṁdarī ya.
