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Conclusion
355 the later phase, of which Jaina caves are the only examples. Excavated against the backdrop of reviving foreign trade and within varied socio-religious contexts of a changing society, these caves had religious and economic significance. With the passage of time, their economic importance has perhaps dwindled, but the religious character has survived. Many of these sites developed as tirthas and continued to be worshipped till the 17th-18th century CE. While at present most of these sites are deserted, some like MangiTungi, Chambhar Lena and Ellora are living tirthas even today, while some like Junnar, Chandor and Ankai-Tankai are worshipped as devi shrines by the local population and Kharosa has been converted into Buddhist cave by the neo-Buddhist population of the area. In the present context, it is interesting to see how these ancient caves are used' by the Jaina population to assert their position and show off their wealth by lavishly doing up' the caves and providing modern facilities for the pilgrims against the stark contrast of relatively poor, agricultural surrounding villages and how some of the sites are 'claimed' back from the local population by enclosing the main Jina icon and leaving the goddess icons for the local worshippers. With the publications of 'mahātmya' booklets that glorify the antiquity and sanctity of some of the sites relating them to legendary Jaina personalities as well as tirthas and empowering them with magical forces, all attempts are made to keep these sites alive as tirthas.
