Jain Inscriptions of Rajasthan

Author(s): Ramvallabh Somani
Publisher: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharti Sansthan Jaipur

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etc. Patwa Himatram temple's inscription, which contains details concerning a Sangh-Yatra, (Community-pilgrimage) speaks of 4 big dinners (Jimans) hosted for94 the entire “Nyat". After the dinner a coconut was also given to every guest as an auspicious present. Wherever this Sangh went, similar Jimans were hosted in their honour. Besides Laddu, distribution of sugar, Gur, Ghee95 etc. on some religious occasions in shape of Lahana etc. was also common, as is revealed by several references in inscriptions. For distribution of Lahana a local word “Benchana" was also used. We find its use in the Jaisalmer inscriptions.
Cattle raising was everywhere prevalent. Apart from cows milk, the milk of buffalows, sheep, goats and camels was also widely consumed. Ghee and oils were the chief edible oils. References to donations of oil for lamps in Jain temples are available in several inscriptions. Non-vegetarian diet was not current among Jains as they generally abstained from taking meat and wine.
Costumes and Ornaments :
Literary sources speak of a variety of colourful attire current among the people of this age. Apabhransh paintings graphically record for us the beautifully printed and variegated clothes that were commonly used. References to donation of clothes is found96 in the Abu inscription also of V. E. 1350 (1294 A. D.). Reference is made here to a gift amounting to 16 drammas to the Vimal Vasati and 8 drammas to the Lunig Vasati by Oswal Hemachandra etc. of Chandravati for making clothes. But no details regarding what these clothes8 were like are available. The Jain inscriptions of
94. Arrangement of large scale Jimans was quite common during 18th and
19th centuries in Rajasthan nearly in all castes. 95. Sometimes when arrangement of large scale Jiman was not found feasible
sugar, ghee etc. were distributed among the people (Nahar III No. 2175,
2154, 2531). 96. Abu II No. 2.