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Chapter 5. Birth of Shrimal Community
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From V.S. 202 to 581 Bhinmal was ruled by Kings of Solanki dynasty. In V.S. 764 Bhan became king. He was a very honorable King and gave his royal protection to the Jain religion. According to Pundit Hiralal Hansraj writer of Jaina Gotra Sangraha during the time of King Bhan in V.S. 764, 62 Brahmin merchants (shreshthis) of Bhinmal Nagar adopted Jain religion after hearing discourse by Acharya Udayprabh Suri who established Shrimal Gotra. Sixty-two sects were founded taking the names of these 62 families and in time these branched out in many more sub-sects. In Gujarat the Shrimals, like the Oshwals, are also divided into Dasa and Visa.
These are some of the many different versions of the origin of the Shrimals but there is no doubt that the Shrimals originated in Shrimal Nagar as a result of its citizens embracing Jain Religion. There are differences of opinion as to the date of the origin of Shrimal community. However, all the documents, historians and archeologists are unanimously in agreement regarding the intimate relationship of Shrimal community with Oshwal community as Upaldev, son of King Bhinmal, founded Osiya Nagri, the birthplace of Oshwal community.
