Kundalpur, Bihar Explained

Kundalpur
Native Name Lang:hi
Settlement Type:Village
Image Alt:Kundalpur Jain temple
Pushpin Map:India Bihar
Coordinates:25.1473°N 85.448°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: India
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Bihar
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Nalanda district
Unit Pref:Metric
Population Density Km2:auto
Demographics Type1:Languages
Demographics1 Title1:Official
Demographics1 Info1:Hindi
Timezone1:IST
Utc Offset1:+5:30
Iso Code:IN-BR

Kundalpur is a village in Nalanda district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is located about 2.5km (01.6miles) from ancient Nalanda Mahavihara, 11km (07miles) southwest of Bihar Sharif, and 80km (50miles) southeast of Patna.

According to the Digambara school of Jainism, Kundalpur is the birthplace of Lord Mahavira, the 24th and last tirthankara. There are temples dedicated to Mahavira, Rishabhanatha, and Gautama Swami located here.

Demographics

According to the 2011 Census of India, Kundalpur had a population of 1,640 in 321 households. Males constituted 52.31% of the population and females 47.68%. Kundalpur has an average literacy rate of 42.56%, which is lower than the national average of 74%. Male literacy is 62.46%, and female literacy is 37.53%. In Kundalpur, 18.59% of the population is under 6 years of age.[1]

Possible birthplace of Mahavira

See main article: Jain temple, Kundalpur (Bihar).

The birthplace of Mahavira (the 24th tirthankara of Jainism) remains a subject of dispute.[2] [3] [4] According to the Uttarapurana — a Digambara text — Mahavira was born in "Kundpur", in the Videha kingdom.[5] The Kalpa Sutra — a Svetambara text — uses the name "Kundagrama".[2] [6] Most Jains assert that the village of Basu Kund near the town of Vaishali is the location of the birthplace of Mahavira.[4] [7] However, some Jains of the Digambara sect have recently asserted that the village of Kundalpur in Nalanda district is the correct location.[4] [8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census of India 2011. 12 March 2014.
  2. Book: Dundas, Paul. The Jains. 2002. 25. Second. Routledge. 978-0-415-26605-5. Paul Dundas.
  3. Book: Potter, Karl H.. Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies. 2007. 35–6. X: Jain Philosophy. Dalsukh Malvania and Jayendra Soni. Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House. 978-81-208-3169-8. Karl H. Potter.
  4. Web site: Chaudhary. Pranava K.. Row over Mahavira's birthplace. 14 October 2003. The Times of India. https://web.archive.org/web/20171103113728/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Row-over-Mahaviras-birthplace/articleshow/232215.cms. Patna. 3 November 2017. 3 November 2017.
  5. Book: Jain, Pannalal. Pannalal Jain. Uttarapurāṇa of Āchārya Guṇabhadra. 460. Bhartiya Jnanpith. 2015. 978-81-263-1738-7.
  6. Book: Doniger. Wendy. Wendy Doniger. Encyclopedia of World Religions. 682. Merriam-Webster. 1999. 978-0-87779-044-0.
  7. Book: Bajwa. Jagir Singh. Kaur. Ravinder. Tourism Management. 211. APH Publishing. 2007. 978-81-313-0047-3.
  8. Book: Shukla. U. N.. Kulshreshtha. Sharad Kumar. Emerging Trends in Indian Tourism and Hospitality: Transformation and Innovation. 105. Copal Publishing Group. Uttar Pradesh. 2019. 9789383419760.