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In the first place as far as we can gather from the existing materials, this religion took its hold among the middle class ; and its followers, the Srdvakas, were mostly engaged in trade and higher callings. The architects for the most part, came from lower classes, and were only engaged by the Jains. In order to give permanency to their objects of worship, they invariably used stone and metal. The discovery in recent years of the ruins of many Jain temples built centuries before the Christian era, also confirms the fact that the earliest Jain Architecture was not only limited to wood.
Much has been written in recent years about Indian Art and Architecture and to some extent this is applicable to Jain Art. Mr. V. A. Smith in his . "History of Fine Arts in India and Ceylon" says, “Hindu Art including Jain and Buddhist in the comprehensive term, is the real Indian Art" The special feature of Jain Art lies in the fact that it shows the relative position of natural objects with great fineness. It is sometimes accused of Conventionalism, but this is true of all arts devoted to religions subjects."
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