Jain ritual and technology: The pañca-kalyāṇaka pratiṣṭhā in the Kānjī Svāmī tradition

The pañca-kalyāṇaka pratiṣṭhā ritual consecrates a new temple image (pratimā), with the re-enactment of the five key events of a tīrthaṅkara’s life, transforming the sculpted image from mere marble to that which embodies the perfected qualities of a jina and is therefore worshippable. Within the Kānjī Svāmī tradition, this ritual has long constituted an important part of temple life and is enthusiastically celebrated, despite the apparent contradiction it poses to the knowledge-based path to liberation that is promoted. This paper aims to explore ways in which the ritual has changed through the adoption of new technology, allowing for novel and expanded means of performance and participation. Using archival images and fieldwork interviews, I will offer a comparative, historical analysis to demonstrate how the incorporation of different technologies has transformed not just the ritual itself but also the experience for the participant, renewing a sense of individual and collective mumukṣu identity.