Sanghvi

Singhai (also Sanghvi or Singhi from Sanskrit Sanghapati (संघपति), literally chief of the Sangha) is a hereditary title awarded in the past to leaders of the Jain Sangha.

Among the Digambara Jains the title is awarded for building a Jain temple with formal installation (Panch-kalyanak Pratishtha) of Tirthankara images with festivities, often accompanied with a gajrath. Among the Shvetambar Jains it is awarded for conducting a mass pilgrimage to major tirthas.

In most north Indian Jain communities, the honorific "Sah" (Sanskrit Sadhu) has been widely used. It can be used by any Jain.

In Bundelkhand a system of titles, which are inherited, has been in use for several centuries.

A 1436 AD inscription at Deogarh uses the terms Singhai and Sanghadhipati. It mentions a pratishtha conducted by Bhattaraka Devendrakirti of Chanderi. A 1467 AD inscription on a metal image in Bhind uses the term Sanghai for the male members of a family and Sanghaini for two female members. These and other 15th century inscriptions suggest the presence of the title in Bundelkhand.

The tradition of the title Singhai exists in Bundelkhand among the Parvaars, Golapurvas and the Golarare. It also exists in the Bhadawar/Gwalior region among the Kharaua, and Varaiya communities. The terms Sanghavi, Sanghadhip and Sanghapati were used in the time of poet Raighu (1383–1468) for Gwalior Shravakas belonging to Agrawal and Golalare communities.

Navalsah Chanderia has described an elaborate Pratishtha with Gajrath conducted by his ancestors in 1594 at Bhelsi where they were awarded the title of Singhai. The temple built on this occasion still exists in Bhelsi. Vinodilal (about in 1690) his Phulamala Pachchisi mentions that organizing a pratishtha is rewarded by the tile Sanghahi.

At the conclusion of the pratishtha function, a turban of chanderi cloth was formally placed on the head of the organizing shraavaka, and people in the congregation ritually saluted him saying "Singhaiji Juhaar".

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