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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India point to the efforts of Jainas to tackle other sectarian forces. These changes were not very unique to this region and are noticed in other areas like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.
Of all the Saivite and Vaisnavite sects in Maharashtra, the Nathapantha must have been a serious threat to Jainism. This sect, which rose in the 11th-12th century CE, exercised great influence in Maharashtra. Being a yoga-based Saivite sect, it laid great emphasis on penance. Most of its yogis stayed in isolation, many a times on hills and caves, as wandering mendicants and thus must have competed with Jainism, which also lay emphasis on such ascetic practices. There are a few examples where the Jainas and Nathapanthis are known to have co-existed, possibly competing with each other. As stated earlier, there is a rudely cut cave high up in the steep scarp on the southwestern face of the Ankai hill. Above the cave, on the perpendicular scarp, is a carved icon, said to be of Matsyendranatha. At present, it is a celebrated place of jatra, held in honour of Matsyendranatha and Goraksnatha. The antiquity of this icon or cave can not be ascertained, but it could have been associated with Nathapantha from the appearance of the sect in the region, from 12th century CE or from 13th-14th century CE when a number of Natha centres like Panhale, Tryambaka and Anjaneri came up. Whatever may have been the case, it should be pointed out that the Jaina caves at Ankai were excavated in the 12th century CE. Thus, it is quite possible that either of the sects occupied the site to establish its claim on this significant area against the other. Similarly, Anjaneri was a Jaina stronghold in the 12th century CE, while in 14th- 15th century CE the Nathas added a cave in the scarp higher than the Jaina cave. This particular cave was mistaken to be a Jaina cave by the earlier scholars, mainly because of the apparent iconographic similarities between the main icon of Matsyendranatha and eighteenth tirthankara Arhanatha and is now protected as a Jaina site. The point to be made here is that Jainism must have felt the threat of Nathapantha and must have competed strongly with it.
With the alterations made in the sect for adapting to the changing scenario, Jainism almost resembled Brahmanism, but still maintained its identity. Jina held the supreme position and no other subsidiary deity was ever allowed to replace him. In a Yadava record, Jina is invoked along with other Brahmanical deities. A number of small Jina figures are depicted on various parts of some of the Brahmanical temples of the 12th_ 13th century CE. The philosophy of the Mahanubhava sect bears strong imprints of the Jaina concepts. Jnanesvara takes notice of Jaina practices of tonsure and straining water in Jnanesvari. Thus, Jainism appears to have been a significant force in the contemporary society. On the whole Jainism seems to have integrated with the society in Maharashtra. Jaina stories are woven into Marathi folksongs, while Jaina invocation 'Om Namah Siddham', has been incorporated into the culture of Marathi population. Again, the fact that many of the Jaina cave-sites and also other centres were strongholds of Brahmanism too, indicates cordial relations of the Jainas with the Brahmanical society and also points to the influential position of the Jainas in the society.
Jainism played an influential role in medieval Maharashtra, though it never held as strong a position as in the neighbouring regions of Gujarat and Karnataka. The Jaina caves are important architectural remains of the region. Though most of the Jaina caves are not as elaborate and grand as other Buddhist or Brahmanical caves like Ajanta or Ellora, they play an important role in the development of rock-cut architecture, especially
