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According to Abhayatilaka Gani, the commentator of Hemacandra's Doyasraya, the festival of Indrapūja lasted from the 8th day of the bright half to the full-moon day of Aśvina.1 The date of the Indramaha thus seems to have differed in different regions from Aṣādha to Śrāvaṇa, Bhādrapada, or Aśvina, although the festival was evidently observed in honour of the rain-god.
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RELIGION
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During the Imdamaha, the image of the deity was installed at a place called Imdatthana, around which the people assembled for worship. Young girls on this particular day used to pray Indra to grant them the boon of leading a happy married life (sobhagga). The king as well as the subjects from different towns and villages brought their offerings (bali, uvahara) to the god and the ascetics were given a sumptuous feast.* Even the Jaina monks were allowed to partake the food given in such feasts in case it was arranged by public munificence." The ascetics of the different Brāhmaṇic sects like the Pan laramgas and Sarakkhas can be seen assembling at a place during the Indra festival. This made it difficult for the Jaina monks to acquire a proper shelter during the festival days. Their studies, as noted before, were to remain suspended during the festival days to keep them in harmony with the local sentiment.8
1. Dvjasraya, III. 8. In the Rāmāyaṇa (Kişkindhā-kāṇḍa, 16-37 ) also the festival of Indradhvaja is mentioned to have been celebrated on the full-moon day of Avina.
2.
NC. 3, p. 243. Indian terminology, the word thana assigned to a deity.-Agrawala, V. S., op. cit., p. 97.
3. इंद मग्गति वरं, सोभग्गं च अभिलसं ति - NC. 3, p. 243.
4. इंदादीण महेसु जे उवहार णिज्जंति बलिमादिया जणेण पुरेण वा — NC. 2, p. 444.
5. NC. 2, p. 239; also NG. 2, p. 444.
6. NC. 3, p. 123.
7. इंदमहादिसु समागतेसु बहुसु परतित्थिसु, सखेत्ते पडिवसभेसु जतंति अंतरपल्लीसु य, तेसु वि असंथरंता गच्छति - NG 3, p. 124.
8. NC. 4, pp. 226-27.
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