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Jaina Ethics and Miscellaneous Customs and Manners
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panthis and Terapanthis but also they would be benefitted in the long run by diverting the large estates of the Bhattārakas to various social and religious purposes.236
The Jainas have started various institutions of a social character for the betterment of their community. In the first place, they have organised a large number of associations with a view to bring the members together and to solve several social problems. A majority of such associations are formed by the members of a particular caste or gachchha. The associations like Khandelavāla Jaina Mahāsabhā, Śetavāla Jaina Mahasabhā, etc. deal with the problems of their caste only. Sometimes the associations are confined to the particular caste or gachchha members hailing from a certain locality. Thus Sri Bombay Lokāgachchha Jaina Sangha is restricted to the followers of the Lokāgachchha residing in Bombay and the members must belong to the families hailing from Mangrola, Porabandara or Verā vala in Kathiawar. At times the associations like the Dakshina Bharat Jaina Sabhā, Mahārāshtrīya Jaina Sabhā, etc., are formed on a regional basis which are technically open to all Jainas of that region but in reality they are dominated and run by the members of one sect. Thus the Dakshina Bhārat Jaina Sabhā is predominantly of the Digambaras and the Mahārāshtriya Jaina Sabhā is of the Svetāmbaras. There are other regional associations like Mumbai Prantika Digambara Jaina Sabhā which are avowedly meant for the members of one sect only. Further, both the sects and practically all the subsects have their associations of an all-India character. Of these the All India Svetāmbara Jaina Conference and All India Svetāmbara Sthā nakavāsī Jaina Conference are well organised and have their headquarters at Bombay. The Digambaras have three, so to say, rival associations of an all-India character but in fact their field of activity is confined to Northern India only. There are a few noteworthy associations of a local character like Bombay Jaina Yuvaka Sangha and of an all-India character like Bhārata Jaina Mahamandala which embrace all sections and sub-sections of the Jaina community. All these small and big associations have tried and to a considerable extent succeeded in eradicating the irreligious and bad practices of their members. Mainly due to their efforts we see that the worship of Hindu gods has practically lessened, the observance of Hindu festivals like Holī and Sitala
