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________________ FEEDSEISESAEEDEEd sarAka jAti aura jaina dharma lekhaka 156. tejamala botharA -0-zrI jaina poravAla pNc| jaina jJAna bhaMDAra prakAzaka mu0 vADIva (rAja.) zrI jaina dharma pracAraka sabhA 48, gar3iyAhATa roDa, P.O. bAlIgaMja kalakattA dIpAvalI saM0 1966 vi0 ESSESSESH
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________________ sarAka jAti aura jainadharma / yaha jAnakara hameM apAra harSa honA cAhiye ki isI baGgAla, bihAra aura ur3IsAmeM eka aisI jAti nivAsa kara rahI hai jo prAyaH apane nijI svarUpa ko bhUla sI gaI hai| na hamalogoM ko hI usake sambandhameM kucha jAnakArI thI kintu gavarnameNTa dvArA prakAzita sansasa riporTa aura DisTrikTa gajeTiyarsane yaha suspaSTa kara diyA hai ki ina prAntoMma rahanevAle "sarAka" vastutaH jaina zrAvaka haiM / ina logoMke gotra, rahana-sahana aura AcAra-vicAra, dekhakara kevala yaha mAlUma hI nahIM ho jAtA varan dRr3ha nizcaya ho jAtA hai ki ye loga jaina hI haiN| ye loga mAnabhUma, vIrabhUma; siMhabhUma, purUliyA, rAMcI, rAjazAho, vartamAna, bAMkur3A, medanIpura Adi jiloM tathA ur3IsAke kaI eka jiloM meM base hue haiN| yadyapi ye loga prAyaH apane vAstavika svarUpako bhUla se gaye haiM, phira bhI apane kulAcArako liye hue kaTTara nirAmiSa bhojI haiN| dharma karma ke sambandhameM ve apane kulAcAra aura bhagavAna pArzvanAtha ke upAsaka haiN| isase adhika jJAna nahIM rakhate / na unakA kiso khAsa dharma kI ora rAga hI hai| para, hAM, yaha unameM se prAyaH sabhI acchI taraha jAnate aura mAnate haiM ki unake pUrvaja jaina the| ve loga zikharagiri kI yAtrA karane jAyA karate the| yaha dekhane vAle vayovRddha to unameM aba taka maujUda haiM / una logoMmeM aisA baMdhana
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________________ ( 2 ) thA ki zikharagirikI yAtrA kara cukane ke bAda phira ve kRSi kAryya na kreN| yahI kAraNa huA ki unheM apanI daridratAke kAraNa ukta niyama pAlanemeM asamartha hone para yAtrA tyAga karane ko vivaza honA par3A / ina logoMkA dhandhA ( vyavasAya ) vANijya aura kRSi kAryya thA, para aba kevala kRSi aura kahIM kahIM kapar3e AdikA bunanekA kAma hI inakI jIvikA nirvAhakA sAdhana raha gayA hai / ye loga I0 sanke pUrva se hI mAnabhUma evaM siMhabhUma Adi jiloMmeM base hue haiM aura apanI bhalamanasiyata ke kAraNa prakhyAta haiN| karnala DalTana kA kathana hai-- ki unameM se eka bhI vyakti aisA nahIM pAyA gayA jo julmI sAbita huA ho aura Aja bhI ve isa bAtakA pUrA garva kara sakate haiM ki ve apane aura apane sahavarttiyoM ke bIca bar3I zAMtike sAtha jIvana vyatIta karate haiM / aba kahIM 2 ve isa bAta ko bhUlakara ki ve jaina hI haiM, kahIM apanA paricaya bauddha aura kahIM hindU kahakara dene lage haiM / yahAM taka ki koI koI to apane ko zUdra bhI samajhane lage haiM / parantu nimna udAharaNoM ko dekhane se isameM tanika bhI saMzaya nahIM raha jAtA hai ki ve jaina hI haiM aura saikar3oM varSoMse isa vAtAvaraNa ( jisakA jaina dharma se koI sambandha nahIM hai ) meM rahaneke kAraNa apane kA bhUlane lage haiM / san 1911 I0 ke mAnabhUma jileke gajeTiyarsa ke peja 51 va 83 meM se sarAka jAti sambandhI vizeSa ullekha meM se pe0 51 kA kucha aMza :--- Reference is made elsewhere to a peculiar people bearing the name of Sarak (variously
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________________ ( 3 ) spelt) of whom the district still contains a considerable number. These people are obviously Jains by origin and their own traditions as well as those of their neighbours, the Bhumij, make them the descendent of a race which was in the district when the Bhumij arrived; their ancestors are also credited with building the temples at Para, Chharra, Bhoram and other places in these pre-Bhumij days. They are_now, and the credited with having always been, a peaceable race living on the best of the terms with the Bhumij. arthAt - isa jilemeM eka aisI jAti nivAsa karatI hai jo sarAka nAmase pukArI jAtI hai aura jisakI saMkhyA yahAM kAfI parimANameM hai / yaha nirvivAda siddha hai ki ye ( sarAka ) utpatti se jaina haiM / inake kulAcAra se evaM inake sahavartI bhUmijoMke paramparAgata pravAdase bhI yaha pramANita hotA haiM ki ye loga usa jAti ke vaMzadhara haiM jo bhUmijoMke Agamana se pUrva hI yahAM basI huI thI aura jinhoMne pArA, charA, bhorama Adi sthAnoMmeM bhUmija - kAla se pUrva hI jina mandira banavAye the / bhUmijoM ke sAtha helamela, unakA rahanasahana aura sadvyavahAra isa bAtakA dyotaka hai ki ye loga sadaiva se hI aura Aja bhI zAnti priya haiM /
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________________ ( 4 ) isI taraha san 1908 I0 ke purI gajeTiyarsa ke peja 85 meM bhI likhA hai : The Saraks are. an archaic Community of whom MR. Gait gives the following account in the Bengal Census report of 1901. The word Sarak is doubtless derived from Srawak, the Sanskrit words for "a hearer" amongst the Jains the term was used to indicate the laymen or persons who engaged in secular pursuits as distinguished from the jatis, the monks or ascetics; and it still survives as the name of a group which is rapidly becoming a regular caste of the usual type. The Buddhists used the same words to designate the second class of monks, who mainly occupied the monesteries; the highest class of Arhats usually lived solitary lives as hermits while the great majority of the Bhikshus or Lowest class of monks, led a vagrant life of mendicancy, only resorting to the monasteries in times of difficulty or distress. In course of time, the saraks appear to have taken to weaving as a means of livelihood and this is
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________________ the occupation of the .Orissa Saraks, who are often known as Saraki tanti. There are four main settlements in Orissa, viz ; in the Tigiria and Barmba States, in the Banki thana' in Cuttack and in Pipli thana in Puri. The Puri saraks have lost all connection with the others and do not intermarry with them. Though they are not served by Brabmans, they call themselves Hindus. They have no traditions regarding their origin, but like other Saraks are strict vegetarians. The Suraks assemble once a year ( on the Magh Siiptami ) at the celebrated cave temples of Khandagiri to offer homage to the idols there and to confer on religious matters. ___ arthAt-sarAka eka ati prAcIna jAtiyoMmeM se hai jisake sambandhameM mi0 geTa san 1901 I. kI baGgAla sensasa riporTameM kahate haiM--"yaha nizcaya hai ki sarAka zabdakI utpatti zrAvaka zabdase hai jisakA artha saMskRta bhASAmeM "sunanevAlA" hotA hai jainoMmeM zrAvaka unako kahate haiM jo yati va muniyoM se bhinna haiM, arthAt gRhastha haiN| yahAM bahuta se sarAka base hue haiN| samaya pAkara ye loga apanI jIvikA nirvAhake liye kapar3e Adi bunane lage haiM aura aba ye sarAkI tAMtI kahalAte haiN| khAsakara ye loga yahAM ( ur3IsA ) tAigiriyA rAjya,
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________________ kaTaka kA baMkI thAnA aura purIke pipalI thAnemeM base hue haiN| ye loga bhI anyAnya sarAkoMkI taraha kaTTara zAkAhArI haiN| prati varSa mAghI saptamIke dina ye loga khaNDagiriko guphAoMmeM jAkara vahAM kI (jaina ) mUrtiyoM kI pUjA stavanA karate haiN|" - aura bhI baGgAla sensasa riporTa (naM0 457 ) ke peja 206 meM likhA hai-"prAcIna kAlameM pArzvanAtha pahAr3ake nikaTastha pradezoMmeM jainiyoMkI kAphI vastI thI; mAnabhUma aura siMhabhama to ina logoMke khAsa nivAsa sthAna the| jainiyoMke kathanAnusAra bhI yaha spaSTa hai ki ina saba prAntoMmeM bhagavAna mahAvIrane vicaraNa kiyA thaa| vahAM kI janazruti bhI yahI hai ki prAcIna kAlameM ina sthAnoMmeM sarAkoMkA rAjya thA aura una logoMne kaI jina mandira banavAye the| mAnabhUma meM jainiyoMke kaI prAcIna smAraka aura siMhabhUmameM kaI tAmeMkI khAne pAI gaI haiN| ye loga prAcIna jaina zrAvaka haiM aura aba inakI santAna sarAka nAmase khyAta haiN| .. uparyukta riporToM ke atirikta bhI kaI nimna likhita aise pramANa haiM jinase yaha niHzaMsaya kahA jA sakatA hai ki ye loga jaina saMtAna hI haiN| . (1) inake gotroMkA Adideva, anantadeva, dharmadeva aura kAzyapa ( bhagavAna pArzvanAtha aura mahAvIra svAmI kA bhI yahI gotra thA) Adi nAmoMkA honA / jainetara kisI bhI jAtimeM ina gotroM kA honA asambhava sA hai| - (2) inake grAmoM tathA gharoM meM kahIM 2 aba bhI jina mUrtiyoM kA pAyA jAnA aura inakA unheM bhagavAna pArzvanAthake rUpameM puujnaa|
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________________ (6) (3) mAnabhUma jileke pAkavIra, paJcagrAma, vorama, charA, telakUpI aura veLokhA Adi grAmoMmeM; bAkur3A jileke bahulArA grAmameM aura varddhamAna jileke kaTavA tAlluke ke ujjayinI grAma ke nikaTa jina mUrttiyoM kA pAyA jAnA / ( 4 ) velojA ( kAtarAsagar3ha ) jaina mandiroM ke eka zilA lekhameM- "cicitAgAra Aura zrAvakI rakSA vaMzIparA" kA likhA honA jisakA artha yaha hai ki ye saba caityAgAra evaM jinamandira zrAvaka vaMzajoMke tatvAvadhAna meM rahe / (5) ina logoMkA kaTTara nirAmiSa bhojI honA-yahAM taka ki ananta kAya - jamIkandAdi phaloM se paraheja karanA / jisake sambandhameM eka kahAvata bhI pracalita hai / 'Doha Dumura por3A chAtI, yaha nahIM khAya sarAka jAti' arthAt sarAka loga ina cIjoMko nahIM khAte ( jainatara kisI bhI jAtimeM phala vizeSa se paraheja nahIM pAyA jAtA ) (6) kahIM 2 yahAM taka pAyA jAnA ki unake bhojana karate samaya yadi koI "kATo" zabda kA uccAraNa karale to ve bhojana taka karanA chor3a dete haiM / ( 7 ) inakA rAtri bhojanako burA mAnanA / kaI eka karate taka nahIM / (8) purI jileke sarAkoM kI mAgha saptamI ke dina khaNDagiri kI guphAoMmeM jAkara vahAM kI mUrtiyoM ke sanmukha nimna bhajana kA bolanA /
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________________ ( 8 ) tumi dekh he jinendr', dekhile paatk plaay', prphull hl kaay'| siNhaasn chtr aache, caamr aache kottaa 4/ diby deh kemn aache, kibaa shobhaay' kottaa 4/ tumi dekh he......... kr'odh, maan, maay'aa, lobh mdhye kichu naahi / raag, dbess, moh naahi, emn gosaanyi // tumi........... kemn shaant muur'tti btte, ble skl bhaay'aa / ........... kebliir mudraa ekhm, saakhaa dekhaay' // tumi..... aar ( apr ) deber sebaa hte, sNsaar baadd'aay' / paashbnaath drshn hte, mukti pd paay' / tumi...... uparyukta pramANoMse yaha spaSTa ho jAtA hai ki ye loga ( sarAka ) jaina santAna hI haiM / para yaha saba hote hue bhI saikar3oM varSoMse inakA aise deza aura jAti ke sAtha nivAsa karanA ki jisakA jaina dharma se sambandha chUTe, zatAbdiyAMkI zatAbdiyAM bIta gaI aura jahAM hiMsA kA sAmrAjya sA chAyA huA hai. jahAM na sAdhu samAgama hI rahA hai. jahAM udara pUrttikI samasyA ke sivAya dharmAdi viSayoM para koI carcA hI nahIM, vahAM yadi ye apane vAstavika paricayako bhUlana lageM to isameM Azcarya hI kyA ? phira bhI yaha jaina dharmakI chApa kA hI prabhAva hai ki Aja bhI ye loga apane kulAcArako liye hue haiN| para yadi hama loga aba bhI usa ora se bilakula udAsIna hI raheM, unakI ora apane karttavyakA kucha bhI khayAla na kiyA to sambhava hai ki ye apanI rahI sahI yAdagArIko bhI bhUla jAMya / likhate bar3A hI duHkha hotA hai ki jahAM duniyA kI sArI jAtiyAM apane 2 utthAnake udyogameM tIvra gatise kAma kara rahI haiM, vahAM hamArA jaina samAja (jAti) kAnameM tela DAle pragADha nidrAmeM soyA huA hai| aba bhI samaya hai ki hama ceta jAMya nahIM to jaise hama thor3e
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________________ (6) hI kAlameM eka karor3ase ghaTakara kevala 12 lakSa hI raha gaye haiM, ve bhI na raha sakeMge / hamAre liye yaha suvarNa avasara hai ki hama apane Adi jaina ( sarAka ) bandhuoMko punaH unake vAstavika svarUpameM lAkara thor3e hI udyogase 12 lakSa se 13 lakSa ho jAya~ aura unheM pathacyuta honese bhI bacA leN| yaha hamAre lie parama saubhAgya kI bAta hai ki zrImAn bAbU bahAdurasiMhajI siMghI, gaNezalAlajI nAhaTA evaM anyAnya kaI eka mahAnubhAvoMkA dhyAna isamahata kAryakI ora AkarSita huA hai aura unakI preraNAse hamAre paramapUjya nyAya-vizArada, nyAya-tIrtha, upAdhyAya zrImaGgalavijayajI mahArAja evaM unake ziSyaratnazrIprabhAkara vijayajI mahArAja jI jAna se ina (sarAkoM) meM dharma pracAra kara rahe haiN| kevala itanA hI nahIM, kalakattA va jhariyAmeM "zrI jaina dharma pracAraka sabhA" nAmaka saMsthAeM bhI pracAra kArya ke liye sthApita kI gaI haiM aura pracAra kArya meM kAphI saphalatA bhI prApta huI hai| hameM bhI cAhie ki hama apane tana, mana aura dhana se isa mahAn kAyya meM juTa jAya~ / jahA~ saMsAra ke prANI mAtra para hamArI yaha bhAvanA honI cAhie ki "savi jIva karu zAsana rasI" vahAM yadi hama ina sulabha bodhI bhAiyoM ( jo cAhate haiM ki hama unheM apanAle) kA bhI uddhAra na kara sakeM, isase bar3hakara hamAre lie zarma aura leda kI bAra kyA ho sakatI hai ? hamAre sAmane yaha eka hI aisA mahAna kArya hai ki jisameM hamArA pradhAna se pradhAna karttavya aura jina zAsana kI mahatI sevA samAI huI hai| ataH maiM apane pUjya dharmAcArya muni mahArAja aura sahadharmI bandhuoM se yahI vinamra prArthanA karUMgA ki ve ina bichur3e hue bhAiyoM ko unake vAstavika svarUpameM lAkara mahAn se mahAn puNya ke bhAgI baneM aura saMsArake itihAsa meM apane nAma ko svarNAkSaroMmeM likhAkara apanI korti ko amara kara jAyeM /
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________________ mu samAThIna jAti sambandhI vistRta sAhitya meM se prApta pustakoM aura patroM kA vivaraNa : - Reference to the 'Sarak' or 'Sarawak' can be had in the following books and Journals : 1. A Statistical Account of Bengal Vo. XVII (Tributary States & Manbhum) by W. W. Hunter. Published in London 1877. See Pages 291, 293 and 301-2. 2. Archaeological Survey of India Reports Vol VIII Bengal Province by Cunningham 1878. See Tour through the Bengal Province in 1872-73 by J. D. Begler. 3. Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol XXXV 1866. Part I. Page 186. Notes on a tour in Manbhum iu 1864-65 by Lieutenant Colonel E. T. Dalton Chief Commissioner of Chota Nagpur. Do Para II. Page 164. 4. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society for June 1869 Page 170. On the Ancient Copper Miners of Singhbum. by V. Ball Geological Survey of India. 5. The people of India by Sir Herbert Risley K. C. I. E, C. I. E. 1908 Page 77. Bengal District Gazetteer 1911. Vo. XXVII-Manbhum Pages 48-52, 83-85 and 263-289. 7. Bengal District Gazetteer 1910 Vo. XX. Singhbhum Page 25. Puri (Orissa) Gazetteer 1908. 6. 8. 9. Tribes & Castes of Bengal by H. M. Risley Vol II Ethnographic Glossery 1891. Gait's Census Reports of 1911. No. 455 pages 209 No. 457 10. 11. Ethnology of Bengal by Dalton. 12. Archaeological Survey 1911 by Nagendra Nath Basu. 13. Asiatic Researches Vol IX by Prof. Wilson.
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________________ 1-madada bhejanekA patA Trejarara zeTha kezavajo nemacaMda 48, ijarA STrITa, klkttaa| 2-patra vyavahAra bAbU bahAdura siMhajI siMghI presIDenTa zrI jaina dharma pracAraka sabhA, 48, gar3iyAhATa roDa, P.O. bAlAgaja, klkttaa| navayuvaka presa, 3 naM0 kamarsiyala vilDigsa, kalakattA /