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JAINA GAZETTE.
95 Another difficulty which persons have to encounter, who wish to marry is the inordinate cost of these functions. In addition to the luxurious feasts and other expenses which are in themselves prohibitive, there has been recently introduced in Rajputana a wholly inexplicable custom of demanding several thousands from the bridegroom before a marriage is settled, I do not know whether anything like this is prevalent anywhere else. Certainly, a solution for reducing the expenditure will have to be found out.
There will be food many more causes of the decay ; and any attempt at remedying this evil will have to take account of, every one of them. It will involve the disappearance of many a time-honored custom. It will also involve a strong opposition; cries would be raised that the work that is being done is not Jain in spirit or that those who take upon themselves this work are trying to destroy Jainism. But the reformer should remember that such a cry will come only froin the narrow-minded and the ignorant. For a time he may be held up as an object of contempt by his thoughtless community, but there is not the least doubt that such work will largely ensure the continuance of this ancient religion, and as such will be heartily welcoined by all right thinking men. Jainism looks up to its young adherents with a hope that they would save it, and bring its followers abreast with the rest of their brethren in India. But from the manner in which encouragement is given to the younger generation, from the manner in which all progressive thoughts are ridiculed and from the habitual apathy of our leaders towards such vital questions, the outlook is not at all bright and hopeful. If Jainism is to live, if its followers desire that it should live, bold and fearless work shall have to be done. IE we really wish that we should not die out, it is most essential that modern methods should be employed both in preserving and improving what is left to us. It is, therefore, loped that the soggestions made above will receive some attention from the Jaipa community as indicating the lines along which work will
have to be done. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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