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Jaina Community-A Social Survey
'speaking these are hypergamous divisions. The Pañchā sub-caste permits the remarriage of widows and those degraded from Pañcha are taken into Adhaiyā. Moreover difference of religion or sect is no bar to marriage among Osavālas, as, for example, a Digambari Osavāla can marry a Svetāmbarī girl, or a Jaina Osavāla boy can marry a Vaishṇava Osavāla girl or vice versa. Further Osavālas can marry with other good Baniyā sub-castes so long as both the parties are Jainas. Thus in Bombay, Dasā Osavālas intermarry with the Dasā groups of Srimāli and Poravāda Baniyās.85
Osavāla is the most prominent trading caste in Rajasthan. As they are derived from the Rajput stock, there were several generals of repute among Osavālas up to advent of the British in India.86 They have also frequently held high offices, such as Divāna or Minister and Pay-master in former Rajaputana states.87
Jodhpur, which is their strong-hold, there were nearly 100 Osavāla ministers in the last 450 years. By their statesmanship and valour they helped various kingdoms loyally and faithfully in the days of prosperity as well as in the times of decline. The history of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur, Indore, Kishengarh States, among others, stands as testimony for their unswerving devotion to public duty.88 The following description of an Osavāla Jaina by Col. Tod deserves reproduction. “Ram Singh Mehta (an Osvāla Jaina Maha jana) was a fine specimen of the non-militant class of these countries, and although he had seldom passed the boundaries of Mevar, no country could produce a better specimen of a courteous gentleman; his figure tall, deportment easy, features regular and handsome, complexion fair with a fine slightly curbed beard and mustachios jet black.......... He is of the Jaina faith and of the tribe of Osi, which now reckons 1,00,000 families all of Rajput origin, and descended from the Agnikula stock. "89
(iii) śrīmāli :
Śrimāli is a well-known caste of Jaina Baniyās. Śrimālis are concentrated in Gujarat, Kathiavar and Rajasthan. They are found among Hindus also but they are mostly Jainas and especially Śvetāmbara Jainas. According to the Śvetāmbara Jaina Directory Srimālis claim the largest number of members among the castes following the Svetämbara sect.
