Anandji Kalyanji Trust (Gujarati શેઠ આનંદજી કલ્યાણજી પેઢી) is the largest and the oldest Jain trust, managed by lay Jains,[1] with headquarters at Ahmedabad which manages more than 1200 Jain temples.[2][3] The original charitable trust is said to have been founded somewhere in decades of 1630–40 AD and is running under name Anandji Kalyanji ni Pedhi or Anandji Kalyanji Trust since decade of 1720.[4]
History
Initially founded to manage the ShatrunjayaPalitana temples, it now manages numerous Jain tirthas and temples belonging to the Śvetāmbara tradition.[5] It is said to have been founded by Shantidas Zaveri and its leadership has been in the same family for generations, who have been the Nagar-seths of Ahmedabad.[6]Kasturbhai Lalbhai, an industrialist and educationist, who was the eleventh generation member, headed the trust for 50 years, followed by Shrenik Kasturbhai Lalbhai for 30 years.[2][6] Samveg Lalbhai now heads the trust. Bhavarlal Nahta has written that the organization for restoring the Satrunjaya temples was originally founded by Acharya Devachandraji as mentioned in Devavilasa.[7]
The name Sheth Anandji Kalyanji Pedhi would suggest that it is a business house belonging to Sheth Anandji, the son of Kalyanji. However, the names are imaginary and they refer to the role of the trust bringing Anand – pleasure and Kalyan- bliss to the Jain pilgrims.[6]
The available documentation takes the history of the trust to samvat 1777 (1720 AD).
Management
Shatrunjaya TemplesRanakpur temple
The trust manages the following tirthas or temples.[8]
