Jain Spirit 2004 10 No 20

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 51

WORKPLACE 49
emperors, monarchs, merchants and high- ranking officials. The Muslim Badshahs, Nawabs and Hindu kings appointed them as their court jewellers, even permitting them to enter into their harems, a noentry zone for males. As noted by the renowned historian Agarchand Bhanwarlal Nahata, "Jains had the prime position in the gem and jewellery trade, For centuries they have occupied a dignified position as jewellers for the rulers and Muslim Badshahs. It is evident that Jains held an expertise in this special trade even in the Sultan period of 13th century." Indeed it has been alleged that jewellers were held to be so trustworthy that the statements of a jeweller as a witness could not be challenged even in the courts of British India. Whilst the knowledge of a jeweller is often kept as classified information, many Jains contributed to the knowledge pool by writing books. One of the earliest of these was written in the 14th century by Thakkur Feru, court jeweller to Alauddin Khiljee, Badshah of Delhi. In the
violence), making it ideal for Jains wishing to adhere to the principle of ahimsa. Motivation for wealth earned with morality (nyaya sampanna vaibhava) was exactly the solid background for ethics and morality that fit in with Jain values. The high character and moral conduct of the Jains enabled them to be trusted by kings and aristocrats. The love for one's religious community (sadharmi- vatsalya) also played its role, and the established jewellers contributed to this growth by training generations of Jains with the secrets of the trade, which led to many Jains prospering in the trade. As the Jain society continued to develop as a trader community, a large number of Jain people entered the jewellery trade, particularly in the western part of India, in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The jewellery business was not regarded merely as a trade but treated as a noble and highly honoured profession. Jewellers were traditionally nurtured to be honest and trustworthy, strictly following the rules, ethics and traditions of the market. Thus early on, only trained, competent and virtuous people were allowed to be jewellers. This honesty was combined with a skill and knowledge to deal with rare and high-value items, and evaluating gemstones was a difficult skill to acquire. However, the secrets of the trade were only imparted to eligible students through a traditional system in which the teacher used to evaluate the family background of the student first, as this was treated as a guarantee of honesty and trustworthiness. The teacher nurtured his students with the qualities required of a true jeweller, whilst equipping them with the necessary practical skills and theoretical knowledge of the trade. They were taught to be patient, calm, vigilant, creative and diplomatic, fitting the sort of values Jains were traditionally taught. Jain jewellers functioned according to the following basic rules in particular: imitations were never to be sold as real; substituting of goods was treated as a major offence; a certain percentage was deducted in every transaction for charitable purposes. These qualities made them popular in the trade and they were able to build trust with their esteemed customers, including
cultured and Bibako pearls, many of the Jain families moved to Kobe, Japan, to make their fortunes. Further progress was made in the thriving markets of New York, Geneva and Antwerp and when gold and diamond mines were discovered in the African countries in 19th and 20th centuries, several of the Gujarati Jain families established themselves in Africa. In the latter half of the twentieth century. India's thriving diamond-polishing industry cut 92% of the world's diamond pieces. Diamond export from India (Rs.2.5 Crore in 1966) jumped to approximately Rs.35 thousand Crores by the end of the century and this amazing growth in only 35 years can be largely attributed to the Jain entrepreneurs. However, the majority of these jewellers have not simply basked in the luxury of their wealth, but opted instead to continue the tradition of contributing their time to charities and social work. A large number of educational institutes, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, dharmashalas and animal welfare centres are run by the jewellers in different parts of India. Many prominent charitable trusts were established by the Jain Jewellers for Social and Religious Services, and it is the jewellers' contributions that have maintained some of the Jain temples and upashrayas built outside of India. Naresh Kantilal, Rajnikanta Keshavlal Shah, Babulal Sanghvi are a few prominent names contributing to the conservation of old temples in India.
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introduction of the Ratnapariksha (Gem Inspection) he mentions himself as a perfect Jain and clearly highlights the importance of religion to him and his trade. His description of the merits of the jewellers is a key source of information about the ethical values of that period. Many Jain jewellers were responsible for the expansion of the jewellery trade over the centuries since the Sultan period. During the 20th century, enterprising Jains decided to venture further afield, such as the Parsan and Mogha families of Calcutta, who arrived in Thailand in the early 20th century and have proved highly successful. As Japan started cultivating
So, though indeed the jewellery trade has connotations of corruption, for many Jain jewellers religion has played a key role in their success within the industry. It is the very necessity for truth and trustworthiness that has helped maintain their strong reputations. Whilst it is increasingly challenging for us to reconcile our Jain values with our career aspirations, I would argue that the core values of truth and honesty can play a key role in any profession, allowing one to maintain their religious standards and achieve spiritual purity.
Jyoti Kothari is a scholar, speaker and jewellery entrepreneur based in Jaipur, India.