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344 Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India monasteries were deserted. As far as Jainism is concerned, it does not appear to have been very prominent. A few Jaina remains are found from Vidarbha and north Maharashtra. No Jaina cave was excavated during this period.
The scene changes from the Rashtrakuta period. A number of Jaina remains from this period point to the fact that the sect rose to prominence from the 8th century CE onwards. The caves at Ambejogai, Kharosa, Ellora, Mangi-Tungi and Patne were excavated during late 8th to 10th century CE. Two of the Jaina bastis in northern parts of the Nasik district were flourishing centres, which received donations from the Rashtrakuta monarch Indra III. His predecessor Amoghavarsa is supposed to have been a follower of Jainism. He is said to have patronised the Jaina caves at Ellora, though there is no evidence to support this assumption. While Jainism rose to prominence, Buddhism was definitely losing ground as only three of the monasteries find mention in the contemporary inscriptions, of which Kanheri was a prominent centre. Brahmanism was the religion followed by most of the people and also by the Rashtrakuta rulers, who patronised it liberally. The society was in transition with changes in religious concepts, ideology and outlook. Vedic Brahmanism was replaced by Puranic religious practices. Vedic sacrifices had lost significance and saguna worship dominated by practices such as vrata, dana and tirthayatra was becoming popular. This change led to the emergence of temples, which developed as rich, land-owning institutions and the central foci of the society.
The following few centuries witnessed the strengthening and elaboration of the already set socio-religious milieu. Temples grew powerful leading to the emergence of socio-economic classes revolving round it. Elaborate worship rituals and vrata, dana and tirthayatra became very popular. With the introduction of Sufism, the rise of pastoral gods like Khandoba and Vyankoba and the emergence of the yoga dominant Saivite sect, Nathapantha and bhakti dominant Vaisnavite sects, Mahanubhava and Varakari, the society in Maharashtra during the post 10th century CE period was marked by multiple traditions, which led to changes in the social set-up and the religious outlook. Buddhism lingered on in Konkan, where Kanheri, Sopara and Panhale were active centres. However, after the 10th century CE, it almost disappeared. Jainism, which had started gaining popularity from the 8th century CE, became very prominent in the post-10th century CE period. It appears to have spread to all parts of Maharashtra as a large number of Jaina remains in the form of inscriptions recording grants to Jaina temples, icons and temples from almost every part of the region indicate. However, there are not many remains in Konkan and though Jainas were present in this area, they were not very prominent. The largest numbers of Jaina caves were also excavated during this period at Anjaneri, Chambhar, Ankai-Tankai, Tringalwadi, Vase, Daulatabad, Bhamer, Chandor, Mohida and Mangi-Tungi and the Buddhist caves at Pandu Lena and Junnar were converted to Jainism. The deserted site of Dharashiva was 'rediscovered' and again turned into active centre with the addition of new icons in the 12th-13th century CE. Similarly, a new phase of cave excavation and installation of loose icons began at Ellora in the same period. Thus, Jainism, which was introduced in Maharashtra around the 1st century BC at the latest, started gaining popularity from the 8th century CE and was most influential and prolific between the period of 11th to the 14th centuries CE. It continued to hold significant position in the Muslim period also.
