Jainism in Bihar

Author(s): P C Roy Choudhary
Publisher: P C Roy Choudhary Patna

Page 77

CHAPTER VII JAIN ANTIQUITIES IN SINGHBHUM
The cult of Jainism had spread into the interior of the district of Singhbhum in Chotanagpur. In this area they came to be known as the Sravaks or the Saraks. O'Malley observes in the District Gazetteer of Singhbhum (1906) : “The pame Sarawak, Serak or Sarak is clearly a corruption of Sravaka, the Sanskrit word for a "hearer," wbich was used by the Jains for the lay brethren, i. e. Jains engaged in secular pursuit, as distinguished from Yati, i. e., priests or ascetics. It appears probable that the latter remained in Manbhum, where several Jain temples have been found while the Sravaks or lay Jains penetrated the jungles, where they were rewarded with the discovery of copper, upon the working of which they must have spent all their time and energy."
The remnants of the Saraks working in copper in Singhbhum district are seen in a number of old ancient copper mines. The Saraks evideatly bad attained a high level of efficiency in working copper ore considering the nonavailability of the modern tools and plants and scientific knowledge. But the skill they had achieved even without them was remarkable. Regarding their work of the ancient copper mines of Singhbhum, O'Malley in the Bengal District Gazetteers, Vol. XX, Singhbhum, Seraikella and Kbarsawan, (1906) observes :
“Further traces of civilization may be found in the remains of buildings and copper mines in nearly every place where the copper deposit is not concealed beneath tbe alluvium. Regarding theso remains, Dr. Stoobr, an eminent