________________
Chapter 9. Jainas in Cutchh
53
influence in society. Based on an account in Jivan Charitra written by Jin Chandra Suri, in Vikram Samvat 1167 Shri Devchand Suriji after he became an acharya he went to Vagad District of Cutchh and converted thousands of Hindus to Jainism. An account in Anchal Gacch Digdarshan says that Shri Jaysinha Suri in Vikram Samvat 1221 went to Vagad and Vadhian districts of Cutchh and stayed there for several years traveling from village to village and giving religious discourses. A Jaina settlement in Cutchh existed even before Bhadreshwar Tirth was built. In the sixteenth century Vikram Samvat the Oshwal community migrated to Cutchh from Parker (Sindh) and bordering villages of Marward and Mevad, to Vagad District. Some even came from Kathiawad (Saurastra) and Gujarat and the population of Jainas went on increasing.
From the stories passed from mouth to mouth and other sources the mass migration of Oshwals took place from 1550 to 1700 Vikram Samvat. According to Yati Ramlalji, the author of Mahajan Vansh Muktavali, the Mahajans of the city of Pali in the region of Parker, on invitation of Rao Khengar, Ruler of Cutchh, around Vikram Samvat 1700, came and settled down in Suthari, Naliya, Jakhru and other regions. Those who migrated from Sindh are known as Cutchhi Mahajans. Those who came from Northern Gujarat are known as Gurjars. The majority of those who came from Sindh were farmers.
The exact dates are not known. But from Sindh migration to the Parker region started some time in Vikram Samvat 1465. From the Parker region migration to Kanthkot in Vagad region started in Vikram Samvat 1513. In 1550 larger numbers of Oshwals migrated from border villages of Sindh, Parker Marward and Mevad.
In time both communities, Cutchhi and Gurjar Oshwals, were further split into Dasa, Visa and so on. The divisions in society of Dasa and Visa took place because those who adhered to old traditions called themselves Visa and those
