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[95] Shantidas was a devout Jain and spent his great resources freely on purposes enjoyed by his faith. His career and activities flourished during the reigns of Emperor Jehangir and Shah Jahan and his great resources as a financier, and business connections at the inperial court as a jeweller, enabled him to enjoy considerable favour and influence at the imperial court at Delhi. He had attained a very high social position and was made the first “Mayor of Ahmedabad" by social voice. During the course of his magnificent career he built the temple of Chintamani Parsvanath in a suburb of Ahmedabad.
According to Chintamani Prasasthi', a Sanskrit verse, written in A.D. 1640, on the basis of the original copy found by Muni Jinavijayaji in Ahmedabad, this temple was begun in A.D. 1621 during the regin of emperor Jehangir by Seth Shantidas and his brother Vardhaman. In view of Jehangir's happy relations with Jain leaders and his tolerance of their religion, the construction of the temple was finally completed in A.D. 1625. This monument was seen by an itinerant German traveller Mendelslo, who confirms that after his visit Aurangzeb converted this teniple into a masjid. Another French traveller by the name of M.de Thevenot who visited the city in A.D. 1666, writes that,"The inside roof of the mosque is pretty enough and the walls are full of the figures of men and beasts etc.” This brings to light the fact that there was painting activity in Ahmedabad in the early 17th century. Moreover, Shah Jahan also issued a number of farmans in favor of Shantidas which throw significant light on the activities of that period. A detailed study of these documents is on the way.
In yet another instance quoted in the Jain Rasamalało which, apart fron giving a vivid account of Shantidas's career mentions in Gujarati that, "He had got made several Tirtha Patas of Siddhachal and others fron emperor Akbar.'
મહાન અકબર અને જહાંગીર બાદશાહ પાસે તેમનૂ સારી રિતે માન હતુ. અકબર બાદશાહ પાસેથી તેમણે સિદ્ધાચલ તીર્થાદિના પટ્ટાઓ કરાવી લીધા હતા.” 9. ob-cit 10. Jain Rāsamālā (Gujarati). Pt. I.Srimad Buddhisagarji Grantha mala. No.
24. Bombay 1902. p. 8.
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