Jain Thought and Culture

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 87

Social Life of the Jain Laity in Ninteenth Century Rajasthan
in Joud pore have great influence, in particular the 'Singh wees' Two men, Foujraj and Tuttiraj are the ministers, foreign affairs are also conducted by a man of the same tribe and one of them is even commander of the forces No portion of the Raja's army ever takes the field without a Banea at its head who paradoxically enough is the commander but fights not He is armed with spear, sword and shield but his religion forbids him to shed the blood of any thing living and his province is to order and encourage the soldiers, combined with a settlement and adjustment of the expenses, a system fraught with absurdity"
Having come in contact with the ruling community they evolved a better standard of living, ettiquette and courage 22 However Lieutenant A Burns 23 reinarks, "Baniyas are numerous (111 Jaisalmer) and have much temporal authority, being the men of business among the Rajpoots and liaving generally one of their members at the held of the affairs as the minister, an hour which is only now and then shared with them by the Brahmans They have most of the bad and less of the good qualities of the Rajpoots They even have adopted the name of the latter and the suffix' Singh' to their names. It is considered an affix to the title of a Bania of rank and he is not ready to part with it”
Their customs and rites4 were just like that of other Mahajanas but there were some minor differences also The Oswals having come into contact with the ruling comniunity became a bit unorthodox in social habits While other Mahajanas did not cat garlics and onions and the food prepared by the barbers and the sons and daughters of the kepts, the Oswals did not hesitate to do the either
As the Rajputs had their flags in the processions so the Oswals also followed it but instead of the ilags they dressed the bamboos with skirts and scarves and headed them with reverse lothas (small water Jars) They claimed that they got this honour from the Badshah but there is no record of the same It seems to be an adaptation to follow the Rajput masters Hindu Maheshwaris were not allowed to do so by the Oswals who became well entrenched as an official class in the states and Jagirs in Rajasthan Agarwals, however,
22 Report of Mardumshumori, op cit 23 Foreign, 14 October 1830. 38, Secret, Consultations, National Archives of India 24 Ibid , pp 422 ff