Acharya Surendrasuri Jain Tatvagyan Shala was founded in 1951 so that any sadhu or sadhviji could come and study — with no distinction of tithi, samuday, gacchh or firka. It runs six branches, keeps 50,000 books and 5,000 manuscripts, and still teaches.
1951Founded at Chanas
6Branches — 4 Ahmedabad, 2 Surat
50,000Books across the shala
5,000Printed manuscripts
7Pandits teaching
Why the shala exists
One idea, followed all the way through
Acharya Ramsurishwarji Maharaja worried that knowledge was thinning out in the Chaturvidh Sangh. His answer was not to teach everyone at once, but to teach at the point where learning travels furthest.
If knowledge was to flow like a river within the Chaturvidh Sangh, the knowledge that the Sadhvijis possessed had to be made much stronger.
Strengthen the Sadhvijis, and they teach the Shravikas; the Shravikas carry it to the Shravakas and to their children. In 1951 there were barely two or three working centres of study in all of Ahmedabad, and few sadhvijis could keep a pandit of their own — so he built one place where any of them could come.
Step 1PanditsJain and other pandits reside and teach at the shala.
Step 2SadhvijisThousands study here, whatever their samuday or gacchh.
Step 3ShravikasWhat the sadhvijis learn, they pass on.
Step 4Shravakas & childrenThe whole Chaturvidh Sangh, one generation to the next.
The two Acharyas
The guru the shala is named for, and the disciple who built it.
How it grew
From one upashraya to six branches across two cities.
1951V.S. 2007Founded at ChanasEstablished at the Khadtarni Khadki upashraya, with the help of the Chaturvidh Sangh.
1953V.S. 2009Main branch, JhaverivadAt the Khadki of Patan — the first branch of its own.
1985V.S. 2041Zaveri ParkThe third Ahmedabad branch opens.
1997V.S. 2053SabarmatiFour in Ahmedabad. Two more follow in Surat, founded during a later chaturmas.
The Surat branches were named Panyas Ravivijayji Jain Pathshala at Kailashnagar and one at Gopipura.
What the shala keeps
Open to the whole Chaturvidh Sangh.
50,000 booksDarshan, Nyay, Vyakran, Jyotish, Sangeet, Chitrakala and Sahitya. Members may borrow.Search the library
5,000 manuscriptsHastprat and palm leaf, some in Odiya, Telugu and Kannada. Research on them is ongoing; viewing and scanning can be requested.See the collection
Gyaan PanchmiEvery year the rarest of the collection goes on public display for three days — Kartak Sud 5, 6 and 7.
Support on viharThe shala also works to make the journey on foot easier for sadhu and sadhviji maharajs during vihar.
Come and study with us
Six branches, and someone on the helpline in both cities.
