Jain Thought and Culture

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

Page 93

Social Life of the Jain Laily in Niniccnth Century Rajasthan
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Some Porwals did not take anything from the bridegroom except a token customary sum of Rs 84/- and rather gave dowry to the daughter Such marriages in which full price was nol laken were called Fau in the local dialect It is said that this custom was laid down by Bhamashah the minister of Rana Pratap They were very proud of Vastu Pala and Teja Pala of their community who construcled the famous Jain temple of Luna-Vashi on Abu The custom of taking price of the bride seems to be old when daughter was considered to be a properly But during the period of study, it was noticed that those who took the bride-price were considered to be lower in status but not solow as to deter a man from doing so
The Por wals did not observe mourning for the dead for a long time In some villages on the very day of the death they got shaved and were the usual attires They ordinarily did not observe the third day of mourning as was done by the Hindu Mahajanjas Only a few of them observed the condolence on the third day as other Mahajanas did If they could alsord, they gave a feast in honour of the dead but no time was fixed for it They carried their dead in a lying posture on the bier and not in sitting posture as is done in some religious demoninations of the Hindus Shrimals. 29
They claimed to have originaled from the Shrimali Brahmanas But in our opinion it is a geographical appellation Just as Shrimalis were Brahmanas from Shrimala, the Mahajanas called themselves Shrimala after the territory Shrimal was a flourishing town in, ancient times and the area north and south of river Jozri (a tributary of river Luni) including Shrimala was known as Jozr or Jurz to Arabs and as Gurjaratra to conemporary Indians 30 Hence the Rajputs originating from this area were known as Gurjara Pratiharas, the Brahmanas as Shrimalis, Mahajanas as Srimala31 and sometimes Gurjar 32 and sometimes as Gujar Shrimals 33 It was a pastoral territory and the pastoral community of this area was known as, Gujar and Brahmanas who migrated from Gauda (Hariyana) terri
29 Report Mardumshumari, op cit, p 430 30 Author's article in University of Rajasthan Studies, Arts, 1962 63, pp 7-9 31 P C Jain, Jain Lekha Sangraha, Calcuta 32 Ibid, Vol II, inscriptions Nos 1134 & 1376 33 Ibid , Vol II, inscription No 1476