Here’s a simple way to find out your gaccha or sampradaya:

• Talk to elders in your family and close relatives who know your lineage. Ask directly: “Which gaccha or sampradaya does our family follow?” and “Who was our guru in the lineage?”

• Check your local Jain temple or sangh. Temples often have a favored sampradaya or a current guru in the lineage. Ask the priest or a senior devotee about the temple’s traditional affiliation and the family’s connection to it.

• Look for a written record in your home. Some families keep a small family booklet or shrine notes listing the guru-parampara (lineage of teachers) and the gaccha names.

• Note the temple practices and monk’s lineage. If you regularly attend a particular matha, monastic order, or follow a specific guru’s teachings, that is usually tied to a gaccha or sampradaya.

• Understand the two broad categories first: Jain sangh communities are broadly Digambar and Shwetambar. Within these, there are several recognized lineages (gacchas/sampradayas). Your exact identification may be one of these, or you may follow a more general tradition without a strongly defined gaccha.

• If you’re unsure, you can ask a knowledgeable Jain teacher or a senior member of a well-established sangh in your area. They can help map your family’s practices and records to a specific gaccha or sampradaya.

• Remember that today many Jains participate in broader communities or practice without a strict gaccha affiliation. It’s okay if you don’t have a formal label—what matters is understanding the teachings you follow and the lineage you acknowledge.

If you’d like, tell me any names you’ve heard (gurus, temples, or specific practices) and I can help you interpret which gaccha or sampradaya they point to and what that implies.