________________
not
326
Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India Date is Jatavada,
A Parsvanātha temple (Dharurkar Aurangabad 1984: 24-36) known. taluka,
Aurangabad dt. Date is Siur,
A few icons (Dharurkar 1984: 24not Vaijapur taluka, 36) known. Aurangabad dt. Date is Nizampur, Sakri Parsvanatha temple (Dhule not
taluka, Dhule dt. District Gazetteer 1974: 815) known. Date is Boradi,
Two inscribed images of Jina in not Shirpur taluka, the compound of a high school known. Dhule dt.
(IAR 1974-75: 70) Date is Tondapur, Remains of a temple (Dharurkar not
Jamner taluka, 1981: 6). Two Jina and Bahubali known. Jalgaon dt. icons (now housed in the
Regional Museum, Nasik). They possibly belong to 12th-13th
century CE Date is Mauja Pandur, Icons of Jinas (IAR 1969-70:22) not Ratnagiti dt. known.
A cursory glance at the above list gives an idea about the development of Jainism in Maharashtra. It is clear that from the gth century CE onwards there are regular evidences of the presence of the sect, which continue almost up to the modern period. The largest numbers of remains are from the 9th 10th to the 14th centuries CE as are the caves under study. A number of sites, for which definite dates are not available, most probably belong to this period. The ruling dynasty of the period, the Yadavas, was claimed to have originated and established with the help of Jainas as stated in Vividhatirthakalpa (Jinavijaya 1934: 53-54). It, in a way, implies popularity of the sect and possibly an increase in Jaina population in this period. But more than anything it points to the rise in the position of the Jainas in the contemporary society, both socially and economically. Thus, the sect, which was introduced by 1st century BC at the latest, started gaining popularity from 8th century CE and reached its zenith in the period of 9th. 10th to 14th centuries CE. It continued to be popular during the Muslim period and as would be shown below, a number of sites emerged as strong centres of the sect even in the Muslim period.
The regions flanking Maharashtra were and are strongholds of the sect. As in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, Jainism started gaining popularity from the 9th-10th century CE in Maharashtra too. On the contrary, the golden period of Jainism in Tamil Nadu was during 5th to 7th century CE, while in Karnataka, it was during 4th to 12th century CE. Thus, when the sect had almost vanished from Tamil Nadu and was facing tough persecution in Karnataka, it came to prominence in Maharashtra. However, like its eastern neighbour Andhra Pradesh, the sect was never very powerful as in Gujarat and Karnataka.
