activities and serves as the cultural hub of the city. The monastery also publishes texts on the philosophy of Gorakhnath. Nath Shaiva monastic organization was one of those Hindu monk groups that militarized and took up arms following the Muslim conquest of India, to resist persecution. They were scorned and persecuted by Mughal Empire officials, and by social, cultural and religious elites. However, the Nath yogi monks have been very popular with the rural population in South Asia since medieval times. Veerashaiva Lingayatism The matha monastic organization has been active since the emergence of Lingayat movement in Karnataka around the 12th century. They have enjoyed community support, and have served as the center for Shaiva studies as well as Lingayat community's educational, cultural and philanthropic activities. There have been six active large Veerashaiva monasteries, one each at Kedaranath, Vairagya Shimhasana (Himalayas), Kashi Jnana Shimhasana(Varanasi, Ganges), Srisaila Surya Shimhasana (Andhra Pradesh), Rambhapuri Veeashimhasana-Balehonnuru and Ujjini Saddharma Shimhasana (all three in Karnataka There are three other important veerashaiva mathas which are famous for "trividha" dasoha(food,shelter and education) *taralabalu brihanmatha sirigere started by jagadguru marulasiddeshwara in twelfth century ,to abolish social discrimination *siddaganga matha tumkur *shivaratrishwara matha sattur There are smaller Vira-Shaiva monasteries, and rural branch monasteries, across India that serve the needs of the local Lingayat communities. The Lingayat monasteries have associated priestly class who are referred to as the Jangamas, but this class is not part of the monastery and often householders. Anyone, from any social class, can become a Lingayat monk and join its monastery, and the internal organization has allowed social mobility from its earliest days. The Jangamas often officiate rites of passage, such as wedding. The succession in Veerashaiva branch monasteries may be appointed either by the main monastery, or the local chief may name his successor. Other Shaiva mathas Adichunchanagiri Hills Dharmapuram Adheenam Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam Madurai Adheenam Thiruppanandal Adheenam Sivatirtha matha Hardwar matha Nasik matha Caughera matha (Nepal) Dhinodara matha Matha in Jainism Jain monasteries, states Paul Dundas, have also been called Matha. Archaeological evidence from Tamil Nadu, which has generally survived better than rest of South Asia, suggest monasteries were being built near Jain temples in south India in about the 5th-century CE, and these hosted naked monks of Jainism. In other parts, Jaina mathas received royal support along with Buddhist and Hindu monasteries. According to Jaina texts of the 13th to 15th century, such as