Jain Journal 2002 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 50

Jain Journal: Vol. XXXVII, No. 1 July 2002 After this event, the Jainas in that area, out of fear of life and unsafe future, migrated to the nearby area of South Kolhapur and Sangli districts of South Maharashtra and settled in some 30 to 40 villages called pattis. These people brought with them the Kannada tongue. The head of such settlement patți was called 'Paṭṭila' - later Patil. There are here a member of Digambara Jaina families known as Patil families even today. These migrated people of the Jaina community and those in the former Shilāhāra and Rāṣṭrakūta regime area, gradually adopted the Marathi language and merged themselves in Maharashtra. Thus the real history of Jainism in this area began rather late and yet, it has its own contribution to the culture of this land.
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Today we find here two Bhaṭṭāraka Institutions, one of Mandani (the older one) and the other at Kolhapur. There were small centres of education containing primary type of instruction to be given to children of Śravakas. They also maintained good Sastra Bhandaras. The Bhaṭṭārakas looked after the religious and ritual needs of the Śrāvakas round about the area. These institutions are active even today. Gradually a member of monesteries, teinples, Manasthambas etc. were built in the various places. Those at Hatkanagalā, Deshing, Sangavade, Dharma Nagar etc are worth noting for their architectural skill and beauty and for their attractive natural surroundings. The graceful Bahubali Image erected at Kumbhoj, has made the hilly place a centre of pilgrimage and tourism. Iconography creating beautiful images of Tirthankaras in stone and metal also rose to a high standard and adorned the various Jaina temples settled in this area. Another significant point is that Jainism set in here a rich tradition of Digambara saints of high stature, though many of them coming from Karnataka area, ever moved from place to place, effected religious awakening, social and moral uplift of the common people and also made their regular caturmāsas of abiding value for both the Jainas and non-Jainas.
There is not however, found early Jaina literature in Marathi in his area. The reason is obvious. The Jainas in the former Shilahara and Rāṣṭakuta regime areas and those migrating from Bijapur area were Kannadigas. It is in later days, after fully adopting the Marathi language, they produced literature which consists of no great epics or Mahākāvyas. It however consists of several commentaries on Sanskrit