________________
( 205
The inscriptions further state that 400 carts 1500 camels, 51 chariots, 4 Majnas (small chariots) 7 Palakies, 4 elephants and others formed its main sources of transport. From Pali, this Sangh at first proceeded towards Godawar and visited its important shrines. Proceeding thence the Sangh then visited Bambhanvada, Jirawala, Abu, Taranga, Sankhesar, Panchasar, Giranar and other places of Gujarat. Several community dinners and donations were arranged at various places.
In Abu, Jirawala, Dhuleva Nadlai etc. there are several inscriptions mentioning the visit of several pilgrims. The inscriptions35 of Abu, which are mostly fragmentary and engraved on pillars, have the account of Sanghs coming from Chanderi, Mandu, Jonapur, Sitamau, Mandsaur, Ahmedabad, Ratlam, Nimuch etc. Several Sanghs visited Jirapalli in V.E. 1483., In the beginning of 16th century A.D, the sanghas of Champaner, Ahmedabad, Devagiri etc. visited Nadlai as is evident from the inscriptions.
Gosthikas :
For the management of the temples, a few members were selected as the Gosthikas. The term Gosthika is wide and also used for the members of Panchakula and other local bodies. The earliest reference to this institution is available36 in the Ghatiyala inscription of V.E. 918, where the management of the Jain temple constructed by Kakukka was entrusted to Gosthikas. The Osia inscription of V.E. 1081 names Jinadutt as37 Gosthika, who perhaps renovated the temple. Sometimes a group of Gosthikas formed an institution known as Bhattaka. The Ratnapur inscription of V.E. 1348 mentions that a Bhattaka was constituted by the four Gosthikas (Chaturbhir - Gosthikai - Sammilitai-Bhutva-BhattakaSanstha-Karaniya).38 The Jalore inscription39 of V.E. 1353 states that the Bhattak institution would pay the fixed amount acrued
35. Abu II No. 174 to 228 36. Inscription No, 2 of the Appendix of this book. 37. Nahar I No. 788. 38. ibid No. 936. 39. ibid No. 903.
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