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The Working Model
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castet o caste. While the Paravāras avoid four gotras, the Khandelavālas avoid two or four gotras, and the Golapūrvas avoid any two gotras. A 'Sagotra' marriage is never approved. There are many castes among the Digambaras, Švetāṁbaras and Sthānakavāsīs where the gotra system is not prevalent. In such cases marriages are contracted outside one's own family. In many places the surnames are considered to denote families and as such marriages of persons bearing the same surname are not allowed. Further, there is no common rule regarding the degree of blood-relationship within which marriage is forbidden. While in the Karnataka marriage with a sister's daughter is not only allowed but also preferred, in North India this custom is not followed at all.
The above rules of endogamy and exogamy are generally observed by the members of the Jaina community. No doubt in recent times some cases have been reported where the rules of endogamy have been broken but no punishment was meted out to the defaulters. At times members are allowed to bring girls from outside but in no circumstance they can give their daughters outside their group. Though these lapses in the rules of endogamy are ignored, still such marriages are not favoured and are looked down.
As a result of the observance of caste, sect and local endogamy, the field for choice of partners becomes very limited and t between the castes is perpetuated. With a view to give more freedom in the selection of partners the question regarding inter-caste marriage was asked and from the replies it will be observed that, except ten persons, all the remaining are in favour of inter-caste marriages. But they are not agreed on the extent of such intercaste marriages. Some go to the limit of marrying with even non-Jainas but suggest that they should be invariably vegetarians. Those who do not go so far wish to point out that there should be no objection if Jainas marry with the Hindus of higher castęs. A great majority of persons approves of marriages among all Jainas irrespective of caste or sect but only after taking into consideration the language, education, economic conditions, ways of living, customs, 'manners, etc. of the partners. This means that they suggest the marriages of Jainas living in a linguistic region and having the same economic and cultural status. In this some do wish to make distinction between the main sects and think
