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deities. The Hindu influence seems to be more among the Svetāmbaras because of these 9 persons while 3 belong to the Digambara sect, six come from the Svetāmbara sect. The names of Hindu deities mentioned in this connection are Sankara, Vishnu, Sürya, Ganapati, Hanumāna, Mahāśakti, Mātā, Ambādevi, Lakshmi, Chāmundā, Durgā and Sitalā. It is stated by some that the Hindu deities are respected but not worshipped like Jaina Tirthařkaras. Similarly, it is mentioned by two businessmen that as traders accord. ing to custom they have to worship Ganeśa and Lakshmi on the day of Divāli but this does not mean that they worship them in true sense of the term all the year round. In the same way one person asserts that he has Śraddhā or faith in Hindu deities like Rāmachandra and Kộishna but he does not worship them. From these statements it is clear that there is not much of religious devotion in showing veneration to Hindu deities. If religious sentiments would have been attached to Hindu deities, worshipping them would not have been specifically pointed out by some that they were formerly worshipping the Hindu deities but now they have stopped that custom.
43. PROBLEM OF WIDOWS It has already been noted34 that according to the Census of India, 1931, of all communities in India the Jaina community possesses the highest proportion of widowed persons and this is more evident in the case of females. Out of five Jaina females one is necessarily a widow. This condition did prevail in the Jaina community during the last fifty years as will be seen from the Census Reports of 1901 and onwards. Thus how to improve the lot of an unusually large number of widows is a difficult problem clamouring for soultion before the Jaina community at present and with a view to ascertain the attitude of Jainas in this matter the question number 46 was asked. From the replies it will be observed that the opinion of Jainas on this question is sharply divided. Out of 154 persons as many as 105 persons categorically assert that remarriage of widows is the only effective solution. They think that prejudice against remarriage should be driven out. For this purpose it is suggested that remarriage should not be looked down upon, remarried ladies should not be outcasted, . and if possible, remarriage should be supported by law and moral force as it is done among Bobras. Remarriage, it is advocated,
