Temple of Satrunjaya

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 54

to the Jainas. In 1820, Motichand Amichand, a wealthy Jaina of Bombay, Hemabhai Vakhatchand, the lineal descendent of Satidas Javheri, and others, petitioned the Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone, then Governor of Bombay, against such disorders, and this resulted, in 1821, in an arrangement made by Captain Barnewell, the Political Agent between Khandaji Undaji, the Chief, and Vakhatchand Khusalchand in the name of Seth Anandji Kalyanji,--the designation of the firm organised by the Sravakas to receive and control the fiscal arrangements relating to the temples at Palitana-by which the latter agreed to pay 4,500 rupess per annum to the former for the ten years in lieu of all claims, and with the power of renewal of the terms on the part of the Jainas. This arrangement was complicated in 1831 by the ijārā of the whole Taluka, including the tax on the Hill, being granted to Seth Vakhatchand at 42,001 rupees per annum. In 1840 Noganji Khandaji, then Chief, assigned the amount of the Hill impost due to himself to Hemabhai, the son of Vakhatchand, in liquidation of a debt due to him and another Vania. The lease of the Taluka expired in 1843, and in 1852 a hot dispute arose respecting the right of the Chief to increase the tax. Both parties appealed to the Bombay Government and in 1963, Major Anderson reported in favour of upholding Captain Barnewell's arrangement unless the Thakur should moderate his terms. Soon after this, however Major Keatinge decided that the Thakur might raise the tax to 10,000 rupees, and this was finally approved in 1866. The Sravakas, dissatisfied with the terms of this decision, appealed to the Home Government, but without success, and for the present neither party seems inclined to yield anything to the other.