________________
The Working Model
345
Jainas have no doubt included Antyakarma or Death Ceremony in their Saṁskāras or Sacraments but, as it bas been already noted, 31 there is a great diversity in their performance of death ceremony. With a view to ascertain the present position regarding the observance of funeral rites in the Jaina community questions number 42 and number 43 were asked and from the replies it will be noted that the Jainas do not appear to give much importance to the observance of funeral rites. It has been stated that there is nothing particular about the death ceremony and no special rites are obserbed. In general it can be maintained that the Jaina funeral rites appear to resemble Hindu funeral rites so far as matters like taking the dead body in procession to the cremation ground and cremating the dead are concerned, but like Hindus, Jainas neither perform the Śrādha ceremony nor give Dāna or gifts to Brahmins. Apart from the cremation of the dead the Jainas are stated to observe rites like Sutaka, Puja and Maranabhoja but in these things the customs differ from region to region. A period of 10 to 13 days from the day of the death of a person is known as Sutaka and in this period the near relatives of the deceased are considered to be in the state of 'uncleanness'. It is reported that on the 13th day Suddhi or Purification is performed by shaving, bathing and putting on usual clothes. On that day all Jainas assemble to sympathise, and go to the temple and thence to the house of the deceased. In the observance of Puja or worship there is a diversity between the Svetāmbaras and the Digambaras. Among the Śvetāṁbaras immediately after the cremation of the dead, Pūjā is presented that is, articles of worship are given in temples. But among the Digambaras the Pujā or worship including Abhisheka ( or anointing of the idol of God) is not performed on the day of the death but on the 11th or 12th or 15th or 16th or 21st day after the death. Maraṇabhoja or death-dinner is the practice of giving feast to the caste members on the 12th or 13th day after the death and it is observed by many Svetāṁbara and Digambara Jaina castes like Srimāli, Osavāla, Poravāda, Bhāvasāra, Agravāla, Khandelavāla, Paravāra, Golāpūrva, Bannore, Hummada, Dbākada, Saitavāla, Chaturtha, Pañchama, Bogāra and Vaiśya. In this connection it has been already noted that the custom of giving death feasts is denounced for religious reasons as a result of which the death feasts are steadily going out of practice.32 Like Maraṇabhoja,
