________________
૨૫૬
શેઠ આ કરની પેઢીને ઇતિહાસ to pay the tax and perform their religious duty, having 'no means of redress, or authorites to appeal to against so flagitious and impious an inposition.
“6. The Raja, thus finding that the tax so levied was discharged without trouble, it has been gradually increased to a high rate up to this period, without any certain limit.
“8. That, a few years ago, the Raja employed some Arabs in his service, men of loose principles and character,' and who have stationed themselves upon the said hill, and commit grievanees in and about the temple revolting to the nature and religion of your petitioners, by killing animals and getting drunk, which are offences of so heinous a nature in the judgment of your petitioners, that they would willingly offer themselves up as victims of slaughter rathar than incur such polution in a temple so consecrated, endeared, and venerated for ages.
“9. That, on remonstrating to the Arabs for such cruel deeds, their answer was that the Raja was indebted to them, and therefor they had taken their station upon the hill as mortgagees to redeem the debt due to them.
“11. On hearing these circumstances of oppression, the Raja of Bhownuggur has also lately inposed a tax upon the people who pass and re-pass to Palitana through Bhownuggur and Gogo.... ...
“Your petitioners therefore humbly implore that your Honorable Board will sympathize with them in those feelings of regret and mortification which result from such acts of pollution and brutal policy directed against an inoffensive caste and national religin of India. ... ... ... ..."
(Ed? . 93, 21431 . 198, . 746–842 ). ૯. કાઠિયાવાડના િિલટિકલ એજન્ટ કેપ્ટન બનવેલે આ વાત આ શબ્દોમાં લખી હતી
“8. The probable extent of the expectation of the Palitana Chief from this source will not annually exceed about Rs. 3.000 or Rs. 4,000, and, considering the numbers of the Shravuk community who are subjects of the company and of His Highness
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