His Holiness Jagadguru Swasti Sri Devendrakeerty Bhattaraka Pattacharyavarya Mahaswamiji visited Australia during 1^st to 3^rd week of March 2000 to grace the Pratista ceremony of a new Jain temple in Canberra and several other religious, cultural and spiritual functions at Sydney, Melbourne, Perth etc.

His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Mahaswamiji was born on 25 May 1949 in a royal family of South Kanara District (Mulky), Karnataka State. He had his primary and secondary education at his native place and got his B.Sc. degree from Mysore University; M.A. in Philosophy from Madras University and Doctorate (P.hd) from Madurai University. His holiness Sri Mahaswamiji accepted the saintly on 20 March 1971, and assigned as the head of Sri Hombuja Jain Math on 30 October 1971. As a head of religious and spiritual head of Jaina religion (Digambar Sect) he tried to bring the harmony among all the various sects of Jain religion (Swetambar, Digambar, Stanakwasi, Terah Panthi, Srimad Rajchand Panth etc.) in India and abroad. It is because of his long vision, peace loving and quite nature more than 18 Jain Temple are started and dedicated to all different sects of Jain religion and also four temples dedicated to Hindu and Jain faiths in U.S.A., Canada, Nepal etc. He is the first Jain monk in the history of Jain Religion to go abroad crossing the Indian Borders for the propagation of Indian religions and philosophies in general and Jain religion and philosophy in particular (during the year 1974 to Belgium to grace the World Conference on Religion and Peace held in Lauven University, Belgium).

From 1974 to February 2000 – he went abroad more than 34 times covering almost of all the countries of the World ( his last two visits are: 1. South Africa in November and December, 1999 to grace the Parliament of World Religions 2. South Korea in February 2000 to grace the World Religion and Cultural Conference).

His Holiness Sri Mahaswamiji is a highly learned Scholar. He has written several books on philosophy. Being an orator he has delivered hundreds of speeches in India and far away countries. He is widely travelling in India and foreign countries to grace various religious, social, cultural and national and international functions. His Holiness Sri Mahaswamiji is running several educational institutes to impart the religious, moral and cultural values of ancient Indian religions to teach the general education to the public in the state of Karnataka. He has erected a 23 feet height marble statue of Bhagwan Sri Parashwantha Swamy, the tallest statue of its kind in India. Such an eminent scholar and well known religious and spiritual leader is now visiting Australia in the month of March, 2000.

Various organisations and general public have decorated His Holiness Sri Swamiji with various titles like Jagatguru, Bharat Gaurav, Bhattaraka Ratna, Pratista Bhaskara, Samyaktwa Chudamani, Syadwada Kesari, Jana Bhaskara etc.

His Holiness Sri Mahaswamiji has the mastery over several languages viz: English, Kannada, Hindi, Tulu, Sanskrit, Prakrut etc.

Sri Hombuja Jain Math
P.O. Hombuja – 577 436
Shimoga Dist. Karnatka State (India)