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Jaina Community-A Social Survey
Sanghadas. These Munis are not allowed to have any property and they do not exercise any control over the people or any authority over the Caste Panchayatas. This means that the Munis do not wield powers in the social field like the Bhattarakas and hence the Munis cannot, it appears, be regarded as counterparts. of the Bhattarakas among the Sthanakavāsī Jainas. Further. it is reported that among the Svetambaras there are at different places the seats of Yatis instead of Bhaṭṭarakas and that the pomp displayed by these Śvetambara Yatis was practically like that displayed by Digambara Bhaṭṭārakas.
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It seems that among the Digambara Jainas also all castes. do not necessarily have Bhaṭṭārakas of their own. From the replies it will be observed that the Hummaḍa Mevāḍā, Narasingapura, Khandelavāla, Saitavāla, Chaturtha, Pañchama, Bogāra, Upadhyāya, Vaiśya and Kshatriya castes have their separate Bhaṭṭārakas while the Kathanera, Buḍhelā, Agravāla, Golāpūrva, Jaisavāla, Nevi and Hummaḍa (from Mahārāshtra) castes have no Bhaṭṭāraka system at all. Besides in some castes like Paravāra, Bannore, Dhakaḍa and Bagheravāla the Bhaṭṭaraka system was prevalent formerly but now it is extinct.
The central places of residence of the existing Bhattarakas of the castes mentioned above are as follows :
Name of the caste
(i) Hummaḍa Mevāḍā
(ii) Narasingapura (iii) Khaṇḍelavāla
(iv) Saitavala (v) Chaturtha
(vi) Pañchama
(vii) Bogāra
(viii) Upadhyaya (ix) Vaiśya and
(x) Kshatriya
Central places of residence of the Bhattaraka of that caste
Surat, Sojitra, Kalol, Narasinhapura and Dungarapura.
Surat, Sojitrā and Kesariyāji. Gwalior, Sonagira, Nāgora, Ajmera and Mahaviraji.
Latūra and Nagapūra.
Nandani, Kolhāpūra, Hosūra, Teradāla.
Kolhapura, Rayabāga, Hosurat and Humacha.
Hūmacha, Mysore, Śravanabelagola, Narasimharajapura. Muḍabidi, Karakala.
Mudabidri,, Kārakala, MelaSittamura, Śravanabelagola, Jinakanchi and Narasimharajapura.
