Sanatan Jain

Author(s): Unknown
Publisher: ZZZ Unknown

Page 15

14
PARESHNATH HILL.
bound himself to make over to the whether the existance of human Jains any land which might be re- habitations remote from the shrines quired by them without any price, and and places of pilgrimage obtrude on the he thd Rajah should not be allowed to attention and observation of the devoraise any objection to the erection of tees in their worship and meditation, ad y temple or Dharamsals on the Hill. but whether Now this convenant itself indicates the sacredness of the whole Hill, is that the whole Hill was considered by not likely to infringe the rights and the parties as sacred. It was ap- privileges vested in the Jain com. parently from this point of view that munity and sanctioned not only by it was agreed that the Jains should be immemorial'usage but what is more allowed to appropriate any land they by the opinion formed of the matter jleased for the purpose of building by the High Court. The Judges fur. temples."
ther rcinarked that: The view put forward by the Judges “It seems to be abundantly clear of the High Court is clear and unmis
upon the evidence in the case, that if takable. The Jains take their stand
the piggery were allowed to continue, on this finding, which contains in &
the Jains would not repair to the Hills nutshell the rights of the Jains to the
for the purposes of pilgrimage and Hill as against the Rajah of Palgunge.
devotion." The Rajah is restrained by the Ekran:niemal from urging any objection to What is there to show that if the the erection any temple, 'shrine or sanctity of the Hill as a whole were Dharamsala on any part of the Hill violated by the erection of buildings, that to the Jains may seem fit and a similar contingency would not hapdesirable: This is sufficient to pen. The Jains are presuaded to established their absolute rights of think that any interference with the en oyment, irrespective of the title of holy associations ascribed to the Hill the owner and shows that the claim would result in its being robbed of all of-exclusive possession on the part of causes of sanctity and adoration, and the: Jains in nothing irrelevent or ultimately in its abandonment Ag absured. I have sought to prove that place of worship and devotion. It is the view taken by the High Court of because the Hill is lifted; high above the whole matter, puts the rights of the sordid and grovelling associations the Jains in a clear light. It places of mundane life, that its pre-eminence them on & sure basis and puts out of as the resort of devotees is rightly court the convenient theory of limited
made out. But the building of resisanctity attaching to the Paresh Nath
dences for all sorts and conditions of Sils, of which much capital was made
people will have the effect of desecrat. in certain quarters. The larger issue ing the Hill, interfering seriously with involved in the present care is not its inherent sanctity aud lowering it