Ancient period Jain ideology in ancient
Bengal developed in two main phases: an early period (pre-
Mauryan to 7th–8th century CE) and a later phase (post-
Gupta to 13th century CE) marked by the emergence of local rulers. Early references to
Jainism in Bengal include the 4th-century BCE
Hatigumpha inscription, where
King Khāravela of
Kalinga, a Jain devotee, retrieved a
Jina image taken by a
Nanda ruler of
Gangaridai, indicating possible Jain influence in the region.
Buddhist texts like the
Divyavadana suggest Jainism's presence in
Pundravardhana (modern
Mahasthangarh,
Bangladesh) by the time of
Ashoka. Additionally, the
Bṛhatkathākośa recounts that Jain preceptor
Bhadrabahu, associated with
Sthulabhadra, was born in North Bengal, implying Jainism's roots in the area. The
Kalpa Sutra mentions Bhadrabahu's disciple, Godasa, who established branches in
Tāmralipta,
Koṭivarṣa, and Puṇḍravardhana—regions that served as early Jain centers in Bengal. Archaeological finds such as a Jain terracotta plaque from
Murshidabad (Maurya-Sunga period) and an inscription from
Mathura (150 CE) referencing a Jain monk from
Rāḍha suggest a well-established Jain presence by the 1st century CE. Discoveries like the terracotta figure of
Naigamesha in
Burdwan further indicate Jainism's integration into local folk practices during the
Kuṣāṇa period. By the early medieval era, Jainism likely persisted in areas like
Kumariparvata, supported by regional monastic movements, particularly from the Tāmraliptikā branch.
Gupta period The next substantial evidence for the spread of Jainism in ancient Bengal is a copper-plate grant dated
Gupta Era year 159 (479 CE), found at
Paharpur in Rajshahi,
Bangladesh. Known primarily for its
Pāla Buddhist monastery, this inscription marks the earliest archaeological Jain record in Bengal during the Gupta period (
Dikshit, 1983). It documents an endowment by a Brahmin couple, Nāthaśarman and his wife Rāmī, who donated lands for the worship of
Arhats at the Vaṭa-Gōhālī vihāra, overseen by disciples of the
Nirgrantha Śramaṇācārya Guhanadin from the pañchastūpa section of
Kāśi. The Vaṭa-Gōhālī vihāra likely corresponds to the present-day site of Paharpur. Despite limited Jain artefacts, the donation by a Brahmin couple for Jain worship illustrates notable religious tolerance in the region. The inscription implies Guhanadin's discipleship lineage and indicates his activity around the late 4th century CE, placing the foundation of the vihāra about 50 years prior. The term pañchastūpa (five-stupa) sect is referenced in Digambara literature; eminent monks such as
Virasena and
Jinasena were part of this sect.
Harishena's
Bṛhatkathākośa records the establishment of five stūpas at
Mathura, suggesting an early Digambara presence that possibly spread to Bengal. Other records from the period, such as the
Jagadishpur copper plate (448 CE), further illustrate Jain influence. The Jagadishpur plate, acquired by the
Varendra Research Museum in 1961, confirms land grants for the Mecikāmra siddhāyatana in Puṇḍravardhana and affiliated Jain religious structures. This siddhāyatana, potentially a Jain establishment, suggests North Bengal's Jain presence during the Gupta period, with donations from agrarian families. Together with records from Nāthaśarman and Rāmī's donation, these findings underscore Jainism's significant reach and support among diverse social classes in Bengal. Earlier scholars believed (Gupta, 1993–94) that Jainism nearly disappeared from ancient Bengal after the seventh century CE, with
Xuanzang’s travel account being the last evidence of its popularity. However, recent discoveries confirm that Jainism persisted and flourished in the
Rāḍha region of Bengal up to the twelfth or thirteenth century CE. Xuanzang's account, from around 638 CE, indicates that Jainism retained a stronghold in Bengal during the seventh century, describing it as the dominant faith in two prominent regions:
Pundravardhana in the north and
Samatata in southeastern Bengal. Regarding
Pundravardhana and
Samatata, Xuanzang observed: For
Samatata, Xuanzang noted: Based on Xuanzang's descriptions, it can be inferred that during the post-Gupta period, Digambara Jain Nirgranths were more numerous than followers of
Buddhism and Brahmanical ideologies in both northern and southeastern Bengal. This prominence suggests that Jainism continued to thrive in Bengal, possibly due to sustained support from the
Pundravardhanīya and
Tāmraliptika Śākhās.
Early medieval period Jainism was gradually overshadowed by the
Vajrayana Buddhist influence in the
Pāla strongholds of North Bengal, parts of
Bihar, and the
Samatata region. Without royal patronage and faced with strong Brahmanical and Buddhist religious currents, Jainism struggled to thrive independently. However, it did survive, particularly in the upland areas of Western Bengal, likely due to the support of the trading community. The
Dudhpani inscription, found in
Hazaribagh district,
Jharkhand, mentions merchants travelling from
Ayodhya to
Tamralipta and is dated paleographically to about the eighth century CE. Field surveys have also documented inscribed Jain images in
Purulia,
Bankura, and
Burdwan districts. These inscriptions refer to donors and are dated to the ninth/tenth through twelfth/thirteenth centuries CE, suggesting sponsorship by the Jain mercantile community. Unfortunately, no Pāla or Sena period epigraphic records from northern Bengal have been discovered to detail Jainism's spread. However, the
Bangarh inscription from the reign of
Nayapala (c. 1042–58 CE) indirectly refers to Jain monks in the
Bangarh region. The inscription praises a Śaiva teacher, Guru
Murtisiva, who defeated Jain
Digambara ascetics in religious debates: This indicates that Jainism persisted, albeit with diminished influence, in parts of Bengal and that Śaiva teachers competed with them to establish dominance. Fieldwork reveals that from the eighth or ninth century onward, Jainism reached its peak in the plateau region of ancient Bengal, particularly in
Rāḍha (zones I & III). Isolated, resource-rich, and conducive to non-farming activities, this region likely drew Jain communities, whose members were involved in local trade and resource extraction. The area's archaeological wealth—temple complexes, sculptures, and architectural remains—suggests it was a thriving Jain center up to the thirteenth century CE. Western Bengal's plateau region, known for its sparse forest cover and deposits of metals and minerals, may have been attractive to Jains, locally known as
Saraks, for its economic potential. Local traditions of ironworking among tribes like the
Bhumij and
Asura likely supplemented Jain mercantile interests in resource procurement and trade. Notably, Beglar describes trade routes connecting
Tamluk with
Patna and other regions, facilitating the movement of Jain merchants. He writes: at
Pakbirra Jain temple, Purulia|Statue of
Rishabhanatha at
Pakbirra Jain temple, Purulia. ca. 9th century Jain sculptures with inscriptions in localised Gauḍī script have also been found, reflecting local patronage and recording the names of donors, such as “dānapati Śakalamagana” on a Tīrthaṅkara Ṛṣabhanātha image from Bhabanipur in
Purulia, and “dānapati Sanadeva” on a Tīrthaṅkara Pārśvanātha image from
Tumba. These inscriptions, though often in corrupt Sanskrit, document Jain patronage in the region. One noteworthy early medieval Jain saint,
Somadeva, author of the
Yaśastilakacampū, was originally from Bengal and mentions a Jain shrine at
Tamralipta in his writings. Further association of Jainism with Bengal appears in the
Vasantavilasa by
Balachandra Suri (thirteenth century CE), which notes visits to Jain temples in
Ladha,
Gauda, and other regions. Jainism, thus, remained a major religious ideology in eastern India from the eighth century CE onwards. This is evident from the archaeological distribution of Jain sites and sculptural remains, especially across modern-day West Bengal.
18th century to present Jainism was wiped out from Bengal alongside Vajrayana, following
Bakhtiyar Khalji's invasion of Bengal in 1204, which heralded the beginning of
Islamic rule in the region. However, Jainism saw a resurgence in the state following
Mughal conquest, caused by migration of rich Jain merchant communities from
Rajasthan and other parts of India to
Dhaka, the provincial capital of
Bengal Subah to pursue commercial interests. The most consequential among these Jain immigrants was the
Jagat Seth family. The
Nawabs of Bengal came to be increasingly dependent on the banking network of the Jagat Seths to pay revenues to the increasingly weakening Mughal emperor in Delhi. Around 1700s,
Murshid Quli Khan, under the influence of Jagat Seth Manikchand, shifted the seat of power from Dhaka to
Murshidabad, significantly close to the
Jain pilgrimage site of
Sammed Shikhar, in order to tackle the
Maratha incursions. This resulted in creation of Jain diaspora communities in Murshidabad & the surrounding city of
Jiaganj-Azimganj. After the establishment of
British rule in India, Jain merchants from
Marwari &
Gujarati communities migrated to
Kolkata to avail better financial opportunities. ==Communities==