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Jaina Community- A Social Survey
the Jaina persons who specifically stated that they do not observe any Hindu festival at all. The names of Jaina festivals mentioned in the replies are as follows :Paryushana, Śrutapanchami. Divāli or Dipāvali, Akshayya Tștiyā, Mahāvira-Jayanti seem to be more popular with the Jainas. The following Hindu festivals are mentioned in the replies :- Holi, Dipāvali, or Divāli, Pādavā or Varshapratipadā, Dasarā, Ganesa-Chaturthi, Rakshā -bandhana, Makara Sankrānta, Sitalāsaptami, Durgāshtami, Pongala, Kathikai, Yugādi, Gauri and Navarātri. Of these Hindu festivals only Dasarā, Dipāvali and Holi are seen to be common with Jainas in different parts of India, whereas there are many Hindu festivals which appear to be celebrated by Jainas of some particular parts of the country only. Thus the Jainas in Gujarātha alone are said to follow Hindu festivals like Śitalā saptami, Durgāshtami, and the Jainas of South India celebrate Hindu festivals like Pongala, Kathikai, Yugādi, Gauri and Navarātri. This shows that Jainas have adopted customs which are most prevalent in particular parts of the country in which they reside. If we compare the names of Jaira and Hindu festivals given above, it will be seen that the two festivals, namely Dipāyali and Rakshābandhana, are common to both Jainas and Hindus. But it must be remembered that both the Dipāvali and Rakshābandhana are celebrated for different reasons by the Jainas and Hindus. Regarding the observance of Hindu festivals it has been specifically mentioned by many persons in their replies that it is customary for them to take part in some of the Hindu festivals only because they have to live in the midst of Hindus and moreover wherever they participate in any Hindu festival they do so without any religious motive whatsoever. Thus it is reported that in North India among Hindu festivals local Jainas observe Holi to some extent. The Jainas do not go to worship it; but participate in groupmeeting in which all embrace each other and offer Pānsupāri. The same is the case with other parts of India. No Hindu festival is observed with a religious rite. In fact the Jainas take part in a few Hindu festivals only and that too because of convention and long contact. It is stated by some Jaina persons that they do not observe a Hindu festival as such but on that day they eat some sweet things due to custom. Further, the practice of observing some Hindu festivals is confined to few particular Jaina families only. Thus it is made clear in the replies by those who observe Hindu festivals of Sitalāsaptami
