Ourselves

This editorial introduces the Mahavira Jayanti special issue of the Jain Journal. It explains that the issue aims to present a panoramic view of Jain heritage across India and notes that Jain archaeology and history remain under‑researched. The editor candidly admits that the compilation was constrained by time and resources, and that only a fraction of the available material could be included. He stresses that a comprehensive account of Jain heritage would occupy several volumes and calls for more scientific research to complement the Hindu‑centred view of Indian history. The editorial describes how Jain communities, now a minority, once flourished throughout India. It laments that many Jain monuments have been vandalised, converted to Hindu worship or reduced to ruins, and that Jain icons are often mistaken for Hindu deities. Despite destruction and neglect, the editorial asserts that numerous sculptures, mounds, caves and temples across Bharatavarsha still bear witness to Jainism’s ancient spread. It urges scholars to examine these traces and reconstruct an accurate and unbiased history of Jainism, emphasising that collaboration and understanding between Jain and Hindu cultures once existed. This introduction sets the tone for the magazine’s subsequent articles, which survey Jainism’s regional heritage and encourage further study.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.