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Conclusion of their faith. A number of Svetambara communities were present in Pune and Shirpur in the post 14th-15th century CE period, when they possibly migrated from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Thus, trade activated the interests of traders of other areas in Maharashtra leading to intensive interaction and movement between different regions and Jainism came to be patronised not only by the local mercantile community but also by many traders frequenting the region and having trade interests here. The sresthis from Telugu country donated the Parsvanātha icon at Satgaon in Buldhana district and a person possibly from Kathiawar made donations at Ellora.
However, though with the acceleration of trade, patronage came to be available to the Jainas, the fact that a need was felt to excavate the caves, indicate various socioreligious and psychological undercurrents. The Jainas initiated a phase of monument building-both caves and structural temples, after 9th-10th century CE, mainly as an attempt to strengthen their position in the contemporary society and to hold on to their flock. Many of the cave-sites, besides various socio-economic and psycho-symbolic factors, could have been excavated to claim a particular site and make their presence felt in the area. For the same reason as to keep their flock together and thus survive, various changes were introduced in the sect. One of the major changes was more communication between monk-laity and greater participation of the laity. Thus, slowly the monks, who used to wander throughout the year and stay in an isolated place during the rainy season, started settling down in the monasteries attached to the structural temples within human settlements. While the earlier caves like Pale and Dharashiva have arrangement for the residence of monks, the later caves from the 8th century CE are devoid of any such arrangement and developed as just worship areas. With the general socio-religious changes in the contemporary Brahmanical society, the Jainas also made adequate changes in their sect to satisfy the needs of the laity in order to survive. Thus, elaborate worship rituals referred to in many Jaina inscriptions of Maharashtra resemble any Brahmanical worship ritual. In other regions, especially Karnataka, the Jainas are known to have introduced other popular Brahmanical samskaras related to various stages of life and festivals. It must have been the case in Maharashtra too as indicated by the present Digambara Jaina population, which is very similar to rest of the Marathi population in all respects. Similarly, introduction of many tantric practices such as the yantra or magical diagram on the Parsvanatha icon in J27 at Ellora was an attempt in this direction. With the introduction of Sufism, appearance of various Saivite and Vaisnavite sects like Nathapantha, Mahanubhava and Varakari, Maharashtra in post-10th century CE period was characterised by multiple traditions triggering various changes in religious outlook and social set-up. Along with the two more popular Brahmanical sects, Saivism and Vaisnavism, Saktism was also a significant force. Though there are very few purely Sakta temples in Maharashtra, appearance of a large number of goddesses on many Vaisnavite and Saivite temples, especially the temples like that at Anwa in Aurangabad district, indicate popularity of goddess cult. The Jainas responded to the threats posed by these sects either by incorporating many of the Brahmanical deities or by making a few changes within their own pantheon. Thus, appearance of Bhairava at Anjaneri, Mohida I and Ellora J5, of Hanuman at Anjaneri, of Ganesa at Chandor and of many minor deities, which must have been locally important, in the Sarvānubhuti-Ambikā panels in Cave III at Ankai-Tankai and the rise in the status of the yaksis, as noticed in the number of caves,
