A Sociological Study of Jain Community in Gujarat

JAIN POPULATION STUDY IN INDIA (SURVEY 2018-2019) A Sociological Study of Jain Community in Gujarat Ahmedabad INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FOR JAIN STUDIES International School for Jain Studies SELF STUDY IS THE D-28, Panchsheel Enclave SUPREME AUSTERITY New Delhi-110 017 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.isjs.in

JAIN POPULATION STUDY IN INDIA (SURVEY 2018) A Sociological Study of Jain Community in Gujarat International School for Jain Studies D-28, Panchsheel Enclave New Delhi – 110017 Email: [email protected] Website: www.isjs.in

CONTENTS List of Tables: Preface Executive Summary Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Socio-economic background Chapter 3: Population Profile Chapter 4: Education and Occupational Structure Chapter 5: Community Profile Chapter 6: Jain way of Life

LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Surnames of Jain respondents Table 2.2: Age and Gender distribution by States/Districts Table 2.3: Marital Status Table 2.4: Education Table 2.5: Medium of Education Table 2.6: Occupational Status Table 2.7: Income Table 2.8 Per capita income of Jains estimated Table 3.1: Total Sample Population Table 3.2: Family Size Table 3.3: Age and Gender distribution by States/Districts Table 3.4: Dependency Ratio Table 3.5: Sex Ratio Table 3.6: Awareness about shortage of girls Table 3.7: Knowledge about feticide among Jains Table 3.8: Opinion about discrimination against girls Table 3.9: Opinion about discrimination against girls (Youth) Table 4.1: Education-wise distribution of Jain population Table 4.2: Educational Status of Jain youth in Gujarat Table 4.3: Vocational preference for next generation Table 4.4: Occupational status by gender Table 4.5: Occupational status by Gender distribution for Youth Table 4.6: Size of land holding Table 4.7: Commercial property value Table 4.8: Residential property value Table 4.9: Size of the Business Table 4.10: House ownership

Table 5.3: Marital Status Table 5.4: Inter-faith marriage Table 5.5: Inter-faith marriage preference Table 5.6: Inter-faith marriage preference (Youth) Table 5.7: Reasons of Jain and Non-Jain Marriages Table 5.8: Reasons of Jain and Non-Jain Marriages Table 5.9: Arranged vs marriage by choice Table 5.10: Changes in marriage institution Table 5.11: Prevalence of dowry Table 5.12: Widow and divorcee remarriage Table 5.13: Divorce Table 5.14: Organization and Associational Distribution Table 5.15: Jainism and Hinduism Table 6.1: Visit to temple Table 6.2: Visit to temple/Sthanak (Youth) Table 6.3: Food after sunset Table 6.4: Food after sunset (youth) Table 6.5: Drinking Table 6.6: Drinking (youth) Table 6.7: Dietary Habits Table 6.8: Dietary Habits (youth) Table 6.9: Opinion about drifting of youth from Jainism Table 6.10: Opinion about drifting of youth from Jainism (Youth) Table 6.11: Religious education Table 6.12: Should religious education be made mandatory? Table 6.13: Reasons of drifting away from Jainism Table 6.14: Reasons of drifting away from Jainism (Youth) Table 6.15: Suggestions for Popularizing Jainism Table 6.16: Suggestions for Popularizing Jainism (Youth) Table 6.17: Suggestions for religious education

PREFACE International School for Jain Studies (ISJS) since its inception in 2005 has mainly been involved in promoting academic studies of Jainism among the overseas students and scholars through its Summer School programmes. So far about 686 participants from 136 universities, 103 high schools & institutions and 21 countries have attended and benefited, resulting in Jain centres and chairs set-up in 10 additional universities in USA. ISJS also had conducted over 20 national and international seminars and published a dozen books. ISJS also conducts research on Jain religion and philosophy and the Jain community, besides publishing books and an online journal “ISJS-Transaction”. ISJS also undertakes research projects on Ahimsa and its application in today’s life as well as relevance of Indian philosophical schools to showcase them and enhance their use in resolving social issues. ISJS in 2017 - 2018 executed a series of population-related studies in order to find out the population dynamics of the Jain community which have been showing some evolving trends regarding population growth rate, fertility rate, sex and child sex ratios etc. In this series the first survey was done in Hauz Khas tehsil of South Delhi district and the second one was conducted in New Delhi district in 2017-2018. The findings of both the studies confirmed the fact that Jain population in the two areas was under-estimated in 2011 census by a range of 60% to 90%. “A Sociological Study of Jain Community in Gujarat State” is the 4th Report (1st being Madhya Pradesh, 2nd Rajasthan & 3rd Maharashtra) with the primary emphasis on the sociological profile. The sociological profile includes select population characteristics like education, occupation and income levels, aspects of family and marriage and the Jain way of life and identity in terms of daily visit to temple, day dining, problems of drift away from Jain values by Jain youth, late marriage and marrying outside the community or not marrying at all and migration to metro areas for better economic opportunities etc. The above findings, it is hoped, would be useful to the Jain community leaders and academicians alike in order to initiate suitable corrective and constructive measures to address the problem of the community in order to find out the India-wide trends. I thank Dr. Abhay Firodia, Shri Firodia Trust of Pune and Dr. Sulekh Jain of USA for their financial and moral support to undertake this study. Special thanks are due to Shri Vijay K. Jain, Founder President, Jain Shiksha Samriddhi & Mr. Niranjan Kumar Juwa of Ahmedabad for taking up the entire responsibility of the survey and data collection in Ahmedabad. I also thank my team members, particularly Dr. Akhilesh K Jain and Mr. Shivam Saxena for their tireless efforts in completing this study. New Delhi Dr. Shugan C Jain Date: March 22nd , 2019 Chairman International School for Jain Studies

About Gujarat Gujarat is one of the most diverse states in India. Gujarat derives its name from the word 'Gujaratta'. Gujaratta means the land of gurjars. The gurjars were a sub-tribe of the Huns who ruled the area. Stretcheing out into the Arabian Sea, with a hint of the desert and with a coastline of 1666 kms long is Gujarat – the home state of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of Nation. It is renowned for its beaches, temple towns and historic capitals. Wildlife sanctuaries, hill resorts and natural grandeur are gifts of Gujarat. Sculpture, handicrafts, arts, festivals also make the state rich. Gujarat is also among the most technologically advanced, housing the largest petrochemical complex in the country. History of Gujarat The history of Gujarat dates back to 3500 years. The Harappa and Mohenjodaro civilization can be known from the archaeological findings at Lothal near Dhandauka in Ahmedabad district and Razdi in Saurashtra. The history of Gujarat flows through the dynamic kingdoms and principal states of Saurashtra. According to the legends, the Somnath shore temple was built by Soma, the moon god himself to mark the creation of the Universe. Lord Krishna’s kingdom was also built at Dwaraka in Gujarat. Gujarat was also present in the exploitation of the great Buddhist emperor Ashoka and his Rock Edicts can be seen near Junagarh. Gujarat was also a battlefield at the time of the war between the Mughals and Marathas. It was also the earliest contact point with the West at Surat where the British set up their first commercial outpost in the 16th century. Daman and Diu, the two small Portuguese enclaves survived within Gujarat for over 450 years till 1961 when these were liberated by the Indian Army. During the British Raj, Gujarat was part of the larger Bombay Presidency and was ruled from Mumbai, and became a separate state in 1960 when the Indian States were divided on the basis of language. Geography of Gujarat Geographically, the state of Gujarat is divided into three areas. The mainland region includes the major cities of Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara (Baroda). The Gulf of Mumbai divides the mainland from the flat and barren plains of the Kathiawar Peninsula also known as Saurashtra. Before independence, the Saurashtra region was ruled by about 200 rulers who continued to rule it as they had made peace with the British. Later, these tiny states were merged in the larger state of Bombay Presidency after independence and later merged in the new state of Gujarat. The Gulf of Kutch separates the Saurashtra from Kutch. Kutch is virtually an island cut off from the rest of Gujarat that is wedged between Pakistan in the east and the low-lying Rann of Kutch in the north.

Gujarat Geographical Map Major Cities of Gujarat Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhuj, Junagadh, Jamnagar Climate of Gujarat The best time to visit Gujarat is in the mild winter months from November to March. During the monsoon season, most of the Gujaratis came back to home on leave. The monsoon period has its own charm when the air is cool and the sky is overcast. The temperature in the Gujarat shows relatively little contrast, but there are great contrasts in the rainfall from South to North. In north, the temperature is about 42 to 43 degree Celsius in summers while in winters it is about 12 degree Celsius. In further south, the winter temperature never falls very far and the summer temperatures are moderate. The rainfall is also scattered throughout the state. The Kutch receives minimum rainfall while Ahmedabad receives moderate rainfall.

Wildlife Sanctuaries in Gujarat Gujarat is a paradise for bird-watchers and wildlife enthusiasts. Deciduous forests, desert plains, grasslands, wetlands and coastal and marine locations have made Gujarat one of the most pleasant place for bird watching and wildlife viewing. There are about four national parks and twenty-one wildlife sanctuaries in Gujarat. Some of the wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are the Marine National Park, Gir National Park, Indian Wild Ass Wildlife sanctuary, Velavadar National Park. Nalsarovar, Khijadia Bird Sanctuary and the Porbandar Bird sanctuary. Some important statistics about Gujarat GDP: Rs. 14.96 Lakh Crores GDP Rank; 3rd in India GDP Growth; 13.3 % Per Capita income: Rs. 2,14,285 Literacy rate: 78.03 % Sex- ratio: 919:1000 Child Sex-Ratio; 890:1000 The population: 6,04,39,692 in the 2011 census with 5,79,654 Jains. Economy of Gujarat Agriculture in Gujarat forms a vital sector of the state's economy. It provides the required food grains for the state's population and raw materials for most of the agro-based industries. With the largest Petro-chemical complex in the country, Gujarat is a major producer of inorganic chemicals such as soda-ash and caustic soda as well as chemical fertilizers. The most remarkable feature of Gujarat's recent industrial development has been the growth of the dairy industry, much of it is conducted on a cooperative basis. Other industries also include fertilizers, engineering and electronics etc. People of Gujarat The people of Gujarat or the Gujaratis are known as a successful business community. Some of the famous businessmen and industrialists can be seen operating hotels and motels in California, running stores in Australia and New Zealand and newspaper kiosks in England. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of nation also belongs to Gujarat. He worked for the independence of India through non-violence. One of the biggest billionaires of the world, Dhirubhai Ambani was also a Gujarati, who built his empire in three decades. Now another Gujrati, Gautam Adani is not far behind in building a pan India industrial cum business empire. Handicrafts of Gujarat The handicrafts of the Gujarat are also unique like the Gujarati cuisine. Gujarat also has a rich tradition of high-quality weaving, unique Kutch embroidery and hand-block printing, the

most common are the tie-and-dye fabrics. These fabrics are known all over the world for their variety and excellent colors. Apart from these fabrics, the hand-painted cloth is also available in traditional black, red, maroon and ochre colors and is also inexpensive. Besides these, you can also buy various items like nut-crackers, silver, wood, brass and other items. The Patola silk sarees are another famous item of Gujarat that are extremely fine and quite expensive and made by very small master craftsmen at Patan. Surat is known for silk sarees and zari or gold thread embroidery. Jamnagar is known for its woollen shawls, blankets, rugs, wooden chest and furniture.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The present study of Jain community in Gujarat study is the fourth (1st Madhya Pradesh, 2nd Rajasthan and 3rd Maharashtra) survey of its kind in India and is expected to provide an insight into the distinctive features of Western India’s Jain population along with its concomitant attributes. Another highlight of this survey is the study of Jain youth population, which was carried out to understand the hopes, aspirations and their views on Jainism. The present sample survey report highlights the sociological profile of the Jain community of the Gujarat State in terms of population characteristics, education, occupation and income levels, continuity and change in the community life, status of women and youth, and the Jain way of life. Major findings of the survey are based on two sets of questionnaires. The work on data collection began in November, 2018 and continued till the end of December, 2018. Data collection was done by volunteers of ISJS and some philanthropic organization devoted to social cause to improve the status of Jain community in India. Report is based on the data so collected. In all 225 respondents were interviewed and requested to fill the questionnaires (representing 1,137 Jains as family members). Beside 104 Jain youth also participated in the survey. Summary of our findings is given below:  Socio-economic-respondents: o About 77.3 % of the respondents use Jain as their surnames, while 18.7 % of them use other surnames. o 42.7 % male & 35.7 % female Jain respondents are at least graduates. Still 0.5 % Jain male adults in Ahmedabad district are illiterate. o Running own Business (49.8 % male & 35.7 % female) is the dominant occupation. o 27.5 % male & 21.4 % female respondents reported their monthly income less than Rs 25,000. o The average per capita income of Jain comes to Rs 3,29,373 which is approximately 1.5 times of the per capita income for the state.  Population Profile: o Gender distribution of Jains is 52.3 % male & 47.7 % female resulting in 911 females per 1000 males. o Child sex ratio (0-6) at 737 females per 1000 male o Average family Size: 5 members o 64.1 % Jains are in age group of 15-59, compared to 66.6 % National average. o Young dependency ratio 254 and old dependency ratio 236 compared to 187 and 311 as national average respectively.  Educational & Occupational characteristics: o 20.2 % male and 23.2 % female Jains were educated up to middle level only. 28.2 % male and 30.8 % female did not respond about their educational status.

o 37.5 % male & 34.5 % female holding graduation and above educational qualifications, while 13.8 % male 11.4 % female educated up to Senior Secondary level. o 75.4 % male youth and 68.6 % female Jain youth have graduate and above qualifications. o Own business (26.5 % male and 42.9 % female) continue to be the preference with government/private service moving up to 21.8 % male and 14.3 % female opting for it with a further shift to professional jobs (27.5 % male and 21.4 % female) o 59.6 % Jains having commercial property above 20 Lakhs while a large number 84.4 % did not report the economic value of their commercial property. o 96.2 % Jains live in their own homes and 43.6 % Jains showed more openness while sharing the value of their residential property.  Community Profile: o 52.0 % of the families were reported to be joint, while 33.3 % families follow the emerging trend towards nuclear families. o 48.4 % males and 42.3 % female reported as being married while 49.96 % males & 54.6 % females did not respond about this query. o 69.8 % Jains were aware of the growing trend of Inter caste marriage. However, 66.7 % are not in favour of non- Jain marriage. o 33.8 % responded that they prefer late marriage compared to early marriages. o 50.7 % support remarriage of widows while 23.6 % not responded.  Jain Way of Life: o 75.8 % male and 78.6 % female adults visit temples/sthanakas daily. o 75.4 % male youth and 74.3 % female youth visit temples/sthanakas daily. o 40.9 % Jain adults and 53.8 % Jain Youth take food after Sunset. o A large majority (44.0) of Gujarat’s Jains believe that its youths are drifting away from Jain philosophy and way of life, while 32.4 % did not agree to the preposition. o 52.9 % Jain youth admitted that Jain youth in general are drifting away from Jainism. o 77.8 % believed that religious education should be made mandatory Other factors of significance: Jains are essentially urban dwellers with growing preference for the same due to higher economic benefits. This creates a situation demanding greater effort by the Jain community to initiate appropriate actions like providing formal and informal Jain Value education to young children for minimizing drift away from Jainism. Also, steps have to be initiated to ensure young male and female are prepared with Jain Way of life (like Smart Girl program by BJS)

and encouraging active formation of Young Jain boys’ and girls’ associations (like YJA in USA) where the Jain youth meet without parents and socially interact with each other and have some religious talks/discussions periodically or through articles published by them. Way forward: There is a strong need to validate these findings in details and form Action groups at state and local levels to implement the findings and recommendation along with a dialogue in the community to prepare Jains for 2021 Census. ISJS will be happy to lead such Jain community initiatives.

Chapter – 1 INTRODUCTION Jainism has been present in Gujarat since ancient times. Globally Jainism and Gujarat are synonyms. Impact of Jainism is clearly visible throughout Gujarat even today. Gujarat is an important religious centre for the people of Jain community as it is the place where 22nd Tirthankara attained liberation. Girnar and Shatrunjaya are serene and perhaps most religious pilgrim places of Jains. These are the places where monks come to seek liberation and blessings of Tirthankaras. Jains believe that their 22nd Tirthankara Neminath (Aristnemi) attained liberation at Girnar in Gujarat. Many other monks have also attained liberation, especially from the holy mountains of Girnar and Shatrunjaya. The Jain councils were held in Vallabhi c. 5th century CE where the Jain canons based on Mahavira’s sermons were compiled as written Texts. King Vanaraja Chavda (c. 720-780 CE) of the Chavda dynasty was brought up by a Jain monk named Shilaguna Suri. Majority of Gujarat Jain temples in Gujarat were built between 6th and 7th century CE and were patronised by the Solankis and Chavada. Dhank Caves (3rd-7th century CE) in Rajkot district has Jain Tirthankara carvings. By, 13th century, the North region of Gujarat was a major Jainism centre. The state has still in it holds the precious teachings of Jainism in its opulent Jain Temples located in different areas. Some of the prominent Jain temples in Gujarat are at Palitana (Shatrunjay hill), Kumbhariya, Girnar, Songarh, Taranga, Shankheshwar and Huttisinghjee, Panchasara Parshwanath Jain Temple-Patan and many more. Gujarat had the 3rd largest concentration of Jain population (5,79,654) i.e. about 1.0 % of the total population of Gujarat (6,04,39,692) and 13.0 % of All India Jain population as per 2011 Census. Jainism has a strong presence and influence here. The decadal growth rate during 2001-2011 was 5.4 % which is at par with the all India decadal growth rate of Jains i.e. 5.4%. The other demographic features of Jains include 97.0 % literacy rate (male: 97.9 % and female: 96.0 %) in Gujarat, more than national averages 94.9% (96.8% male and 92.9% female). Sex-Ratio in Gujrat in 2011 census was 966 and child sex-ratio (0-6 age group) was 872 compared to the national Jain average of 954 and 889 respectively. Work participation rate (WPR) of Gujarat state for the Jains in 2011 census was 34.1 % (58.3 % male and 9.2 % female) compared to national averages 44 % (56 % for males and 31 % for females). The WPR is highest among the Jain males (56 %). However, it is lowest amongst Jain females (14.1 %) despite having highest literacy rate amongst all communities of the nation. Fieldwork (Survey) site Ahmedabad in Gujrat Due to paucity of financial and expert resources constraints, we limited our field work to Ahmedabad only in Gujarat. We wished to conduct survey in Surat as well which has 112,835 Jains living there. The Ahmedabad district region is of significance and

representative of Jains in the state, as it accounts for 36.1 % of Gujarat Jain population, was selected for field survey and analysis. Some statistics of significance for Jainism in Gujarat and Ahmedabad are as follows (basis 2011 Census) Factor Gujarat Ahmedabad Total population 6,04,39,692 74,86,573 (2014) Jain Population 5,79,654 2,09,287 Jain male 2,91,911 1,06,152 Jain female 2,84,743 1,03,135 Decadal growth % 10.35 23.04 Literacy rate % 96.98 97.07 Sex Ratio 966 972 Child Sex Ratio(0-6) 872 845 Work Participation Rate % 34.15 35.29 Ahmedabad is the largest city in the State of Gujarat and the Seventh- largest urban agglomeration in India, with a population of almost 74 lakhs (7.4 Million). City is Located on the banks of the River Sabarmati. The city is the administrative centre of Ahmedabad district, and was the capital of Gujarat from 1960 to 1970; the capital was later shifted to Gandhinagar. The city was at the forefront of the Indian independence movement in the first half of 20th century. It was the epicentre of many campaigns of civil disobedience to promote workers' right, civil rights and political independence. Mahatma Gandhi also established Gandhi Ashram on the bank of river Sabarmati and selected Ahmedabad as his \"Karmabhumi\". It is now becoming a modern metropolis with rising centre of education, information technology and scientific industries along with being the cultural and commercial heart of Gujarat. With total Area of 8087 sq. km., Ahmedabad is geographically at the centre of Gujarat, situated between 21.6 to 23.4 north latitude and 71.6 to 72.9 east longitude. Total population of District is 74,86,573 (2014). Ahmedabad District is surrounded by Kheda District in the east, Mehsana in the north, Anand District in the south and Surendranagar in the west. 14 talukas of the District include 556 villages, 1 corporation, 1 cantonment area and 7 municipalities. The city was founded in 1411 to serve as the capital of the Sultanate of Gujarat, by its namesake, Sultan Ahmed Shah. Under British rule, a military Cantonment was established and the city infrastructure was modernized and expanded. It was part of the Bombay Presidency during the British rules in India. Kankaria Lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar, is an artificial lake developed by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, the Sultan of Delhi, in 1451

A.D. The city is also called Karnavati, a name for an older town that existed in the walled area. Ahmedabad remained the most important city in the Gujarat region. The City established itself as the home of a booming textile industry, which earned the nickname \"The Manchester of India.” With the creation of the state of Gujarat in 1960, Ahmedabad gained prominence as the political and commercial capital of the state. Map: Fieldwork (Survey) site in Gujrat The present sociological survey of the Jain community in Gujarat is designed as an exploratory study with the following objectives: Objectives of the Survey: 1. To investigate the nature of socio-demographic profile of the Jain communities in Gujarat State. 2. To analyse trends of inter-generational occupational mobility and future aspirations.

3. To study the changing occupational structure of the Jain community. 4. To review the infra-structure available for education and skill development of Jain youth in the area to enable Jain youth move up the economic ladder. 5. To examine the emergent status of women in the community, particularly in terms of education and occupational status, work participation and religiosity. Research Methodology: A carefully developed Questionnaire (common for PAN-INDIA survey) was used for data collection. The questionnaire consisted of about 50 questions. The data were collected from the Ahmedabad district of the Gujarat State. In all, 225 respondents (male: 211 and female: 14) generally being head of family, were contacted for filling the questionnaire. Besides the questionnaire the report also relied on secondary sources, including books, newspaper and magazine articles, census data and acquaintance of our staff members with Jain community. Along with general Jain population (heads of families), Jain youth – both male and female were also interviewed through a separate questionnaire which consisted of 21 items/questions. Youth were generally defined as respondents under 35 years of age. A total number of 104 youth (69 male and 35 female) were interviewed. In most cases the selected youth belonged to the same families which participated in the Jain community survey. Their views and opinions have been highlighted at appropriate places in the report. The method to arrive at state averages from the survey data for four regions is follows: State average (say for surname) = % in Ahmedabad * Population of Jains in Ahmedabad where c% is % of Jains reported as using Jains as surname from the survey data. Mathematically, it can be represented as State Average of factor ‘f’. = Summation of (ai* pi)/ P where ‘a’ is % of factor ‘f’ and ‘p’ represents the population of Jains in region ‘i’ and ‘i’ ranges. P is the total population of Jains in region or values of ‘i’. Since Ahmedabad is the only survey site, average for Ahmedabad will be the same as State average. Significance of the Study It is hoped, the study would fill a major gap in our understanding of the socio-cultural, demographic, educational and economic status of the contemporary Jain community in Ahmedabad in particular and Gujarat in general as no anthropological/sociological work on the subject has so far been done.

Chapter – 2 SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF THE RESPONDENTS This chapter presents data on socio-economic background of the respondents of the Ahmedabad district of Gujarat in terms of age and gender, marital status, education, occupational status, and income. There are 225 (211 males and 14 females) respondents who participated in our survey. Table 2.1: Total respondents surveyed Population Respondents No. No. District Total Male Female % of % of Total No. No. % of % of Male Female No. Female No. 595 542 52.3 Male Female Male 47.7 225 6.2 Ahmedabad 1137 211 14 93.8 State 1137 595 542 52.3 47.7 225 211 14 93.8 6.2 Average State 5,79,654 2,94,911 2,84,743 50.9 49.1 - - - -- Population We also surveyed the Jain youth as respondents. Their profile is given in the Table below. Their responses will be used later at appropriate places only. Youth respondents Youth Respondents District Total No. Male No. Female % of % of No. Male Female Ahmedabad 104 State Average 104 69 35 66.3 33.7 33.7 69 35 66.3 Surnames In the survey data of the State, about 77.3 % of the respondents used Jain as their surnames while 18.7 % of them use other surnames. This figure is contrary to what one expects in Gujarat where most of the Jains use surnames other than Jain (like Shah, Adani, Rupani, father’s name etc) and leads us to believe that the respondents are mostly migrant Jains from other states like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It is also observed that 4.0 % Jains did not respond to this query.

Table 2.1: Surnames of respondents (%) District Jain Other Surnames No Response Ahmedabad State Average 77.3 18.7 4.0 77.3 18.7 4.0 Age and Gender The respondents include 52.3 % males and 47.7 % female. Table 2.2 shows that 64.9 % of male and 64.3 % female of the respondents are in the age group 14-59 years while senior citizens (60+), being the head of families numbered 32.7 % male and 28.6 % females. This factor again will impact the economic indicators as Jains over 60 years of age tend to be dependent with little or no income of their own. Table 2.2: Age and Gender distribution in State /Districts District 14-59 60+ No Response MF MF MF Ahmedabad 64.9 64.3 32.7 28.6 2.4 7.1 State Average 64.9 64.3 32.7 28.6 2.4 7.1 Marital Status 96.2 % male and 50 % female respondents are married. 2.4 % male are widowers, and 50% females are widows. Table 2.3 Marital Status District Ahmedabad State Average MF MF Unmarried Married 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Widow/ 96.2 50.0 96.2 50.0 Widower Divorce separated 2.4 50.0 2.4 50.0 No Response 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 0.0 1.4 0.0 Education The survey data and its analysis (Table 2.4) shows 42.7 % male & 35.7 % female respondents hold graduate and above educational degrees in Ahmedabad, corresponding to 27.7 % male & 33.2 % female with similar qualifications as per census 2011for the state.

Ahmedabad district has 35.7 % female Jains at least educated up to Senior Secondary level. Further it has 28 % male with education up to middle level and 26.1 % up to secondary school level. The figures for female are better with 16.9 % having up to Secondary school education. No female in Ahmedabad is illiterate. For males, a small fraction of 0.5 % in Ahmedabad reported as illiterate. Table 2.4: Education (%) District Illiterate Up to Middle Up to S. Sec Graduate & No response Above Ahmedabad MF MF MF MF State 0.5 0.0 28.0 28.6 26.1 35.7 MF 2.8 0.0 Average 42.7 35.7 0.5 0.0 28.0 28.6 26.1 35.7 2.8 0.0 42.7 35.7 Medium of Education Majority of Jains (70.1 % male & 78.6 % female) in Ahmedabad go to Hindi medium schools. (Table 2.5). Only 11.4 % male attended English medium schools. These figures again indicate migrant Jains constituting majority of respondents Table 2.5: Medium of Education (%) District English Hindi Other No response MF MF MF MF Ahmedabad 11.4 0.0 70.1 78.6 4.7 0.0 7.1 7.1 State average 11.4 0.0 70.1 78.6 4.7 0.0 7.1 7.1 Occupation The dominant occupation of the respondents in the state is Own Business (49.8 % male & 35.7 % female). 13.7 % male and 7.1 % female reported to be engaged in government or private service with a small percentage of male (3.3 %) reported engaged in professional services. Surprisingly 20.9 % male and 35.7 % female did not respond on this question, perhaps leading a retired life or in the household activities. or leading a retired life. However,14.3 % of female respondents did report themselves to be engaged in house hold affairs.

Table 2.6: Occupational Status District Ahmedabad State Average MF MF Agriculture Own Business 1.4 0.0 1.4 0.0 Service 49.8 35.7 49.8 35.7 (Govt/Private) Professional 13.7 7.1 13.7 7.1 Managing Household Others 3.3 7.1 3.3 7.1 Students 8.5 14.3 8.5 14.3 No response 2.4 0.0 2.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 20.9 35.7 20.9 35.7 Income 27.5 % male & 21.4 % female respondents reported their monthly income less than Rs. 25,000/- indicating their having low paid jobs. The income figure in the range of for Rs. 25000-50000 per month was reported by 18.5 % males & 28.6 % females. However, the figures are different for the monthly income group of Rs.50,000/- to Rs. 1,00,000/- with 10.0 % male only. The % distribution amongst male and figure for monthly income of Rs. 100,000 and above is very different at 10.9 % male & zero % female. A higher percentage of women (50.0 %) did not respond to the question about their income in comparison to men (33.2 %), perhaps due to their not engaged in activities involving financial remuneration. This may be the case as work participation data shows those engaged in agriculture as 1.4% male only and in own business as 49.8 % and 35.7 % respectively for male and female. The above figures seem to corroborate our feelings that majority of respondents are first generation migrant Jains involved in small scale business or working in Jain organizations. Further, it seems that our surveyors did not cover higher income Jains or the respondents did not give correct figures as , Jains by nature tend to understate their actual financial power. Table 2.7: Income District Less than 25,000 – Income (Rs.) Above No response 25,000 50,000 50,000- 1,00,000 Ahmedabad MF 1,00,000 MF MF State MF 18.5 28.6 10.0 0.0 33.2 50.0 Average 27.5 21.4 MF 10.9 0.0 10.0 0.0 33.2 50.0 27.5 21.4 18.5 28.6 10.9 0.0

Per Capita Income Based on the above analysis, we tried to estimate the per capita income of Jains in Ahmedabad district and the approximation of state as a whole. Per capita income is the mean hence, income calculated for population of Jains in Gujarat State, does not represent the actual income of any single respondent. Table 2.8 shows the calculated per capital income for the Ahmedabad district as well as the average for the state. The average for the state shows Jain per capita income to be 32,9,373/21,44,285 or approximate 1.5 times the per capita income for the state. Table 2.8 Per capita income of Jains estimated District Per Capita (Monthly) Rs. Per Capita (Annually) Rs. Ahmedabad 27,448 3.29.373 State Average 27,448 3.29,373 Concluding remarks: Following summary indicates results of the survey for respondents:  Total number of respondents: 225 with 211 males (93.8 %) and 14 females (6.2 %). Their age-wise distribution is 64.9 % male and 64.3 % female in the age group 14-59.  77.3 % of the respondents use 'Jain' as their surnames, while 18.7 % of them preferred to use some other surnames.  96.2 % males and 50.0 % female were married; 2.4 % male were widower; and 50.0 % female were reported to widow, however it cannot justifiable seeing 6.2 % only of female respondent (14 out of 225).  42.7 % male and 35.7 % female had graduate or higher education. However highlighting figure is that 0.5 % male were illiterate and 28.0 % had education up to middle class.  70.1 % male and 78.6 % female attended Hindi medium schools. More male (11.4 %) Jains went to English medium schools. It seems that upward economic mobility of Jains is related to the medium of Language used in high schools.  Occupation: 49.8 % male and 35.7 % female were engaged in their own business. 13.7 % male and 7.1 % female were in service (government or private). Agriculture (cultivators and workers) work is performed by 1.4 % males only.  Income: 27.5 % male and 21.4 % female reported income less than Rs 25000 per month. 18.5 % male and 28.6 % female reported income between Rs 25-50000 per month. The balance was in higher income groups with 10.9% (50000-1 Lakh) and 10.0% (Above 1 Lakh) respectively male only, while 50.0 % female not responding to the query. Per capita income of Jains come to Rs 3,29,373 which is more than 1.5 times the state average but much lower from Jain perspective making us conclude that the respondents are mostly first generation migrant Jains.

Chapter – 3 POPULATION PROFILE This chapter presents the survey results of the Jain population of Ahmedabad district of Gujarat in terms of the family size, age structure, sex and child sex ratios, etc. Table 3.1 shows the Jain population in the two districts surveyed (225 respondents accounting for 1,137 members). Jain population covered by field survey Table 3.1 presents the population profile of the Jain community in Ahmedabad district along with estimated average for the state for Gujarat as a whole. As per our survey, 225 respondents and their family members took part in the survey for a total Jain population of 1,137 individuals (595 males and 542 females). The sex ratio was found to be 911 per 1,000 males. The percentage of children in 0-6 years age group stands at 5.8 %. Table 3.1: Total Surveyed Population Number Male % Female % 0-6 Total Male Female Age District 1137 595 52.3 542 47.7 Group %% % 1137 595 52.3 542 47.7 Ahmedabad 66 5.8 6.4 5.2 State Average 66 5.8 6.4 5.2 Family Size Table 3.2 presents survey data about Jain family size in the State. The range of the family size was chosen between single and 10+ members. It is clear from the table that the largest number of families (25.8 %) is a 4-member unit followed by 5-member units (18.2 %), 6- member (16.9 %) and 3-member families (15.1 %). These four categories of families accounted for 73.0 % of the Jain families in the Gujarat State. The upper limit (with 10+ members) of the family size was 2.7 % of the total sample size, while 1-member constituted 2.2 %. The average family size comes to 5 members.

Table 3.2: Family Size (%) Family Size Ahmedabad State Average 1-Member 2-Member 2.2 2.2 3-Member 5.3 5.3 4-Member 15.1 15.1 5-Member 25.8 25.8 6-Member 18.2 18.2 7-Member 16.9 16.9 8-Member 3.6 3.6 9-Member 3.6 3.6 10-Member 4.0 4.0 10+-Member 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 Age structure and Dependency Ratios Tables 3.3 and, 3.4 present data on Jain population in terms of age, age group categories and dependency ratios respectively. Table 3.3 summarizes the age-structure of the Jain community surveyed. Jain adults (15-59 age group), that is economically active, constitute 64.1 % of Jain population for a state average as compared to the national average of 66.5% in the same age group. 16.5 % Jain are young (0-14) and 15.1 % Jain are old (60+) for an overall state average. The comparative figures of the age structure of Jain population in India as per 2011 census data were as follows: 20.7% below 15 years of age, 66.5% between 15-59 years and about 12.8% over 60 years of age (See Jain, Dheeraj 2017:7). Dependency ratio gives the proportion of persons whom the persons in economically active age group need to support. Dependency ratio can be divided into two parts: (i) young dependency ratio, and (ii) old dependency ratio. Dependency ratio can be calculated as the number of persons in age group 0-14 plus the number of persons in age group 60 years or more divided by number of persons in age group 15-59 years and multiplied by 1,000. Dependency Ratio= Number of persons in 0−14 years + Number of Persons above 60 years divided by Number of Persons in 15−59 age group X 1,000. Young dependency ratio can be calculated by number of persons in age group 0-14 years divided by number of persons in age group 15-59 and multiplied by 1,000. Young Dependency Ratio= Number of Persons in 0−14 years divided by number of Persons in 15−59 age group X 1,000.

Similarly, old dependency ratio can be calculated by number of persons in age group 60+ years divided by number of persons in age group 15-59 years and multiplied by 1,000. Old Dependency Ratio = Number of Persons above 60 years divided by number of Persons in 15−59 age group X 1,000. Table 3.4 presents dependency ratios for Ahmedabad district and the state averages. It is observed that overall dependency ratio for the state (490) is much lower than the national (597 as per census 2011). Further analysis shows that the young dependency ratio is also low in the Gujarat State (254) compared to the Jain national figure of (311) while the old dependency ratio was higher in the case of Gujarat State survey (236) compared to national average (187). This implies ageing Jain population in the state with lesser number of children being added. Table 3.3: Age and Gender distribution District 0-14 15-59 60+ No Response Ahmedabad MF MF MF MF 16.3 16.2 63.2 65.1 15.6 14.6 4.9 4.1 State 16.3 16.2 63.2 65.1 15.6 14.6 4.9 4.1 Average Table 3.4: Dependency Ratio District Dependency Ratio Young Dependency Old Dependency Ratio Ratio Ahmedabad 490 254 236 State Average 490 254 236 Sex and Child Sex Ratios The sex ratio (number of females per 1,000 males) as per our survey was found to be 911, which was much lower as compared to the Gujarat State 2011 census data of 966 and compared to the 2011 national Jain sex ratio of 954. The child (0-6) sex ratio at 737 is significantly also lower in comparison to the 2011 Gujarat State census figure of 872 and 2011 national Jain child sex ratio of 889.

Table 3.5: Sex Ratio Sex Ratio Child Sex Ratio (0- 911 6-year age group) District 911 Ahmedabad 737 State Average 737 Awareness about shortage of girls As seen in Table 3.6 over 63.6 % of the respondents said yes to the question about shortage of girls in the Jain community; about 14.7 % said no and about 21.7 % had no response. Table 3.6: Awareness about shortage of girls Question: Are you aware that there is shortage of District girls against boys in the Jain community? Ahmedabad Yes No No Response State Average 63.6 14.7 21.7 63.6 14.7 21.7 Awareness about feticide Female feticide is considered as the prime suspect in declining child sex ratio among the Jains. Our sample data suggest that about 16.0 % of respondents replied in the affirmative about female feticide and about 58.7 % in negative. Table 3.7: Knowledge about feticide among Jains District Question: Have you heard of any case of feticide among Jains in your area? Ahmedabad State Yes No No Response Average 16.0 58.7 25.3 16.0 58.7 25.3 Discrimination against girls Although Jain families are more egalitarian than those in other communities in India, yet due to patriarchy some discrimination against girls is still seen in the Jain families. Accordingly, 4.0 % of the respondents replied in the affirmative, while 73.3 % replied in the negative. About 22.7 % of the respondents had no response (Table 3.8).

Youth perception about discrimination against girls in the Jain community is slightly at variance from the general public in that 5.8 % of the youth believe that girls are discriminated against while 85.6 % denied it and 8.7 % did not reply the question. Table 3.8: Opinion about discrimination against girls Question: Do you believe that in Jain family’s girls District are discriminated against in regard to food, Ahmedabad education and health provisions State Average Yes No No Response 4.0 73.3 22.7 4.0 73.3 22.7 Table 3.9: Opinion about discrimination against girls (Youth) District Question: Do you believe that in Jain families girls are discriminated against in regard to food, Ahmedabad education and health provisions State Average Yes No No Response 5.8 85.6 8.7 5.8 85.6 8.7 Concluding Remarks: Our conclusions are based on the Jain sample population of 1,137 in Gujarat State, which are as follows: Gender distribution: 52.3 % male & 47.7 % female. Sex Ratio: 911 females per 1000 male and child sex ratio (0-6) at 737 per 1000 male. Sex ratio compared to census figures for Gujarat (966) and the national average (954) for Jains. Family Size: 5 members. Age distribution: 64.1 % in age group 15-59 compared to 66.6% national average; Only 16.5 % were in the age group in 0-14 years age group - a very serious issue leading to a likely sharp decline in Jain population in future. Elderly population (60+) relatively high at 15.1 %. Dependency ratios: Economically active- 64.1%. Overall dependency ratio 490 compared to national average of 597; Young dependency ratio 254 and old dependency ratio 236 compared to 187 and 311 as national average respectively. Awareness (female issues): 4.0 % Discrimination against girls (respondents)

Discrimination against girls (youth) 5.8 % Awareness about shortage of girls 63.6 % Awareness about female feticide 16.0 % Issues concerning Jain community which need to be addressed urgently are:  Rapid decline in birth rate: Only 5.8 % were in the age group 0-6 years; young dependency ratio 254 compared to 311 national average  Aging Jain population: old dependency ratio 236 compared to 187 national average.

Chapter – 4 EDUCATION, OCCUPATION AND INCOME STRUCTURE This chapter analyses the survey data on Jain families, their educational and occupational structure, income levels, employment, unemployment, land holding, ownership of commercial and residential property, scale of their businesses and house ownership in the Gujarat state. Education Census 2011 shows that 30.3% (33.2 % male & 27.7 % female) Jains in the Gujarat state to be at least graduate. Our survey shows 37.5 % of male and 34.5 % female for the overall state average of 36.1 % who responded with their education were at least graduate. 28.2 % male respondents and 30.8 % female respondent did not respond about their educational qualification. An unfortunate part revealed that while women (23.2 %) continued to do better than their male (20.2 %) counterparts till Middle education, their number dropped down considerably by the time they reached graduation and post-graduation. On the happier side, 75.4 % male & 68.6 % female Jain youth have graduation and above qualifications (Table 4.2). 17.4 % male & 20.0 % female have studied up to senior secondary classes, about 2.9 % male & 5.7 % female up to middle classes. Table 4.1: Education-wise distribution of Jain population (%) District 0-6 Age 6-18 Age Illiterate Up to Up to Graduate No Group Group Middle Senior & Above response MF Secondary MF MF 0.3 0.0 MF MF MF MF Ahmedabad 6.4 5.2 20.8 21.4 0.3 0.0 12.5 15.2 8.1 7.0 53.8 49.1 20.8 24.0 State Average 6.4 5.2 20.8 21.4 12.5 15.2 8.1 7.0 53.8 49.1 20.8 24.0 Table 4.2: Educational Status of Jain youth (%) District Illiterate Up to Up to Senior Graduate & No response Middle Secondary Above Ahmedabad MF MF MF MF State 1.4 0.0 2.9 5.7 17.4 20.0 MF 2.9 5.7 75.4 68.6 Average 1.4 0.0 2.9 5.7 17.4 20.0 2.9 5.7 75.4 68.6

Vocational preference for next generation Table 4.3 reveal that 27.5 % male respondents prefer jobs with professional qualifications for their youngsters compared to 21.3 % preferring government service. Surprisingly only 14.3 % female in Ahmedabad prefer their youngsters to be employed in Government services. 42.9 % females prefer their youngsters to be engaged in Family business. Table 4.3: Vocational preference for next generation (%) Occupation Line Family Business Government Professional education or New Business District Services (Engineering, Medicine, No Response MF Ahmedabad 26.5 42.9 Law, Accountancy etc.) MF State Average 26.5 42.9 24.2 21.4 MF M F 24.2 21.4 21.8 14.3 27.5 21.4 21.8 14.3 27.5 21.4 Occupation 54.6 % male and 67.2 % female respondents chose not to respond to this query. Of the remaining who did respond, own business for 23.5 % male and household work for 22.7 % female were the main occupations, followed by Government and private services for 10.3 % males (Table 4.4). Table 4.4: Occupational status by Gender distribution Occupation Type Gender Ahmedabad State Average Agriculture M 0.5 0.5 F 0.0 0.0 Own Business M 23.5 23.5 Services F 1.8 1.8 M 10.3 10.3 (Govt/Private) F 2.0 2.0 Professional M 1.3 1.3 F 0.6 0.6 Managing Household M 4.0 4.0 F 22.7 22.7 Others M 0.8 0.8 F 0.0 0.0 Students M 4.9 4.9 F 5.7 5.7 No Response M 54.6 54.6 F 67.2 67.2

Occupational status by Gender for Youth A majority of Jains youth (75.4 % male and 68.6 % female) have graduation and above degrees (Table 4.2). This gets reflected in their occupation as well which can be seen from the following table with professional females being less perhaps due to their getting married and living elsewhere: Table 4.5: Occupational status by Gender distribution for Youth (%) Occupation Type Gender Ahmedabad State Average Agriculture M 31.9 F 11.4 31.9 Own Business M 23.2 11.4 Services F 14.3 23.2 M 7.2 14.3 (Govt/Private) F 11.4 7.2 Professional M 17.4 11.4 F 14.3 17.4 Others M 1.4 14.3 F 11.4 1.4 Students M 0.0 11.4 F 0.0 0.0 No Response M 18.8 0.0 F 37.1 18.8 37.1 Comparison of occupational preferences by Jain adult and Youth respondents is shown in table below. (Table 4.3) (Table 4.5) Description Male Female Male Female Own business 26.5 % 42.9 % 23.2 % 14.3 % Service 21.8% 14.3 % 7.2 % 11.4 % Profession 27.5% 21.4% 17.4 % 14.3 % Land Holding Surprisingly, 94.3 % of Jains did not respond to this query, indicating reluctance by respondents in general not to discuss financial matters with others. Of those who responded, land holding pattern by Jains show 77.2 % holding 5 acres or less, 15.8 % holding 5-10 acers and 7.0 % only holding more than 10 acres.

Table 4.6: Size of land holding (%) How much agricultural Ahmedabad State Average land you own? 4.4 4.4 Up to 5 acres 0.9 0.9 5 to 10 acres 0.4 0.4 Above 10 acres 94.3 94.3 No response Commercial Property Valuation The pattern here is similar to land holding with 84.4 % not responding to the query. Amongst those who indicated; 17.3 % owned commercial property up to Rs 5 lakhs, 23.1 % mentioned their property value between Rs 5 to 20 lakhs, and 59.6 % mentioned the value of their such property to be above Rs 20 lakhs. Table 4.7: Commercial property value (%) Market Value Ahmedabad State Average Up to Rs. 5 lakhs Rs. 5 lacs to Rs. 20 lakhs 2.7 2.7 Above Rs. 20 lakhs 3.6 3.6 No response 9.3 9.3 84.4 84.4 Residential Property 56.4 % respondents were not forthcoming in sharing information about the value of their residential property. Perhaps, this is another indicator of first-time migrant Jains in Ahmedabad. Of those who did respond, majority claimed their property value above Rs 20 lakhs, with very few giving a value below Rs 5 lakhs. Table 4.8: Residential property value (%) Market Value Ahmedabad State Average Up to Rs. 5 lakhs Rs. 5 lacs to Rs. 20 lakhs 2.2 2.2 Above Rs. 20 lakhs 9.3 9.3 No response 32.0 32.0 56.4 56.4 Scale of the Business 42.7 % respondents did not respond to this query (Table 4.9). That 44.0 % respondents reported their business of medium scale, while 50.3 % reported the same as small scale and only 4.7 % of large scale.

Table 4.9: Size of the Business (%) Size of Business Ahmedabad State Average Small Medium 28.9 28.9 Large 25.8 25.8 No response 2.7 2.7 42.7 42.7 House Ownership An overwhelming majority of Jain respondents (96.2 %) in Gujarat State had their own house instead of living in a rented house. Those living in rented accommodation formed a meagre 3.8 % of the respondents while 17.3 % did not reveal the status of their residence. This implies a majority of Jains do own their residential property, a natural trend amongst Jains to own a house for providing emotional stability and financial security to the family. Table 4.10: House Ownership (%) H.Ownership Ahmedabad State Average Own Rented 79.6 79.6 No response 3.1 3.1 17.3 17.3 Concluding Remarks: Education: Up to middle 20.2 % male & 23.2 % female Up to SS School 13.8 % male 11.4 % female Graduation and above 37.5 % male & 34.5 % female. However, for the youth, education level moves as 17.4 % male and 20.0 % female have SS school education at least with 75.4 % male & 68.6 % female have graduation and higher qualifications. Vocational preferences 27.5 % male respondents prefer jobs with professional qualifications for their youngsters compared to 21.8 % preferring government service. Surprisingly only 14.2 % female in Ahmedabad prefer their youngsters to be employed in Government service. 42.9 % females prefer their youngsters to be engaged in Family business. Own business 23.5 % Jain male service opting for own business, while 10.3 % male Government or Private services followed by shift to professions 1.3 % Jain male only.

Existing occupation: 54.6 % male and 67.2 % female respondents chose not to respond to his query. Of the remaining who did respond, own business for 51.8 % male and household work for 69.2 % female occupy the highest occupation levels followed by Government and private service occupations by 22.7 % males. So, a major shift in occupation, based on higher level of education is expected. This might be a reason for emigration of Jains from villages/small towns to bigger cities anywhere. Land holding: 94.3 % of Jains did not respond to this query indicating reluctance by respondents in general not to discuss financial matters with others. Of those who responded, land holding pattern by Jains show 77.2 % holding 5 acres or less, 15.8% holding 5-10 acers and 7.0 % only holding more than 10 acres. Commercial property: The pattern here is similar to land holding with 84.4 % not responding to the query. Amongst those who indicated; 17.3 % owned commercial property up to Rs 5 lakhs, 23.1 % mentioned their property value between Rs 5 to 20 lakhs, and 59.6 % mentioned the value of their such property to be above Rs 20 lakhs. Residential Property: Only 43.6 % respondents were forth coming in sharing information about the value of their residential property. Surprisingly 73.6 % claimed their property value above Rs 20 lakhs, while 21.3 % declared the same between RS 5-20 lakhs and 5.1 % declaring the same at less than Rs 5 lakhs. This also compares to 96.2 % Jains living in their own homes and 3.8 % only living in rented places. Size of business: 50.3 % Jains reported as having small business (perhaps shops (provisions or general merchant); 44.1 % with medium business. A small per-centage (4.7 %) reported as having large business and 42.7 % did not respond (perhaps as they are probably involved in service or profession).

Chapter – 5 COMMUNITY PROFILE This chapter analyses some of the macro and micro social structural features and religious practices of Jain community in Gujarat state. It focuses on family type, caste distribution, marital status, inter-faith marriage, inter- caste marriage preference, marriage age, religious rituals, prevalence of dowry, remarriage and the perception of Jainism as a separate religion independent of Hinduism. Family The Gujarat State sample survey of Jain population corroborated the earlier trend of Joint families. About 52.0 % of the families were reported to be Joint while 33.3 % were found to be nuclear. 14.7 % respondents did not respond to the question. Table 5.1: Family type (%) Family type Ahmedabad State Average Joint Nuclear 52.0 52.0 No response 33.3 33.3 14.7 14.7 Caste/ Sub-Caste Caste-based distribution of Jain population is presented in Table 5.2. About 65.3 % respondents mentioned wrongly Jain religion as their caste. This means that approximately two third (2/3) of our respondents (65.3 %) did not know about their caste. They also seemed to be ignorant about the distinction between religion, sect and caste. Only 13.8 % correctly mentioned Dashaumbad etc. as their caste. No response category at 20.9 % is also significant. Table 5.2: Caste Distribution (%) Caste/Sub-Caste Ahmedabad State Average Jain 65.3 65.3 3.6 3.6 Dashaumbad 10.2 10.2 Others 20.9 20.9 No response Marital Status The survey data of Jain population of Gujarat (based on 225 respondents) reveal that 48.4 % male & 42.3 % female were married. The population of widowers/widows was 1.7 % male & 3.1 % female. Surprisingly, about 49.9 % male & 54.6 % female did not reveal their marital status raising a question about the reasons (social stigma of being unable to get married or

being separated/divorced) or similar cause. None of the respondents male or female, reported himself/herself as divorced or separated. Table 5.3: Marital Status (%) District Unmarried Married Widow/ Divorce / Vowed to No Widower separated Celibacy Response Ahmedabad MF MF MF MF MF MF State 20.8 21.4 48.4 42.3 1.7 3.1 00 00 29.1 33.2 Average 20.8 21.4 48.4 42.3 1.7 3.1 00 0 0 29.1 33.2 Inter-caste or inter-religion Marriages There has been a long practice of inter-religious marriages between Jain and Vaishnav Hindus in Gujarat particularly. In recent times such marriages have not only increased in number, they have also been extended to include various other castes/sub-castes of Brahamins, Kshatriyas, and even non-Vaishnav Vaishyas. Given the scenario, it should not be surprising that a majority of respondents (69.8 %) in Gujarat are aware of this phenomenon (Table 5.4). Incidentally, despite high percentage of awareness about inter-religion marriages, those who prefer such marriages is only 11.6 %, which signifies a deficit between awareness and actual choices (Table 5.5). When respondents were asked about the reasons of growing trends of marriage of Jain boys/girls outside the Jain community, a significant number (33.3 %) responded in affirmation in regard of Co-education/Co-work, thus the marital problem faced by them within Jain community. While 11.1 % of them showed inability to find suitable match in Jain community, surprisingly 55.6 % did not respond to our query (Table 5.7). Almost 49.8 % of the respondents felt that Jain arranged marriages are being gradually replaced by self-arranged love marriages, while 24.4 % respondents did not respond (Table 5.9).

Table 5.4: Inter-faith marriage (%) District Question: Are you aware of the growing trends of marriage of Jain Boys/Girls outside the Jain community? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 69.8 8.0 22.2 69.8 8.0 22.2 Inter-caste / religion marriage preference An overwhelming majority (66.7 %) did not favour such matrimonial alliances or religious exogamy even though a high 78.3 % were aware of this practice. However, 11.6 % of our respondents favoured inter-religious marriages for various reasons. About 21.8 % of our sample survey did not get answer of the query (See Table 5.5). The situation with Jain youth is different as approximate double percentage of Jain favoured inter-faith marriages. 67.3 % Jain youth were not in favour of such marriages, and the rest 10.6 % did not respond to this question (See Table 5.6). Table 5.5: Inter-caste marriage preference (%) Question: Are you in favour of Jain-non-Jain District marriages? Ahmedabad Yes No No Response State Average 11.6 66.7 21.8 11.6 66.7 21.8 Table 5.6: Inter-faith marriage preference (Youth) (%) District Question: Are you in favour of Jain-non-Jain marriages? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 22.1 67.3 10.6 22.1 67.3 10.6 Reasons of Inter-faith Marriage While responding to the reasons of inter-faith marriages, 33.3 % of the respondents suggested co-education/ co-working as the main reason of inter-faith marriages and 11.1 % mentioned non-availability of suitable match in the Jain community as the second reason (Table 5.7). However, majority (55.6%) of them did not respond to this question. Among the youth respondents 51.9 % mentioned co-education/ co-work as the main reason of inter-faith marriage and 12.5 % mentioned unavailability of suitable partners in the Jain

community as the second reason, while, 35.6 % Jain respondents mentioned other reasons (Table 5.8). Table 5.7: Reasons of Jain and Non-Jain Marriages (%) Reasons Ahmedabad State Average Co-education/co-work 33.3 Could not find suitable match 33.3 in Jain community 11.1 Other 0.0 11.1 No response 55.6 0.0 55.6 Table 5.8: Reasons of Jain and Non-Jain Marriages (Youth) (%) Reasons Ahmedabad State Average Co-education/co-work Could not find suitable match in Jain 51.9 51.9 community Other 12.5 12.5 No response 35.6 35.6 0.0 0.0 Comparison of Reasons of Jain and Non-Jain Marriages by Jain adult and youth respondents is shown in table below. Description (Table 5.7) (Table 5.8) Jain Adults Jain Youth Co-education/co-work 33.3 % 51.9 % Could not find suitable match in Jain community 11.1 % 12.5 % Other reasons 0.0 % 35.6 % No response 55.6 %. 0.0 % Table 5.9: Arranged vs marriage by choice (%) District Question: Are arranged marriages being replaced by love marriages among Jains in Gujarat Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 49.8 25.8 24.4 49.8 25.8 24.4

Changes in institution of marriage As per our survey, 33.8 % Jains married late. Since the survey is conducted in Ahmedabad only, this figure seems to be in line with the current trend. 53.8 % Jains preferred night time wedding ceremony as compared to 14.2 % favouring daytime marriage. Only 7.1 % Jains wished their marriages to be solemnized by a Jain pandit. Only 12.9 % Jains favoured selecting of their partner by their own choice as against family arranged. This again is surprising for the area surveyed. However, large number of respondents 32.0 % did not respond to this question (Table 5.10). Table 5.10: Changes in marriage institution (%) Late marriage Ahmedabad State Average Day-time marriage Marriage by Jain Pandit 33.8 33.8 Marriage by own choice 14.2 14.2 No response 7.1 7.1 12.9 12.9 32.0 32.0 Prevalence of dowry (%) Only 42.2 % Jains responded negatively to the prevalence of the dowry in the community. However, 32.0 % of them said that it was prevalent to some extent, while 5.3 % felt that it existed to a larger extent (Table 5.11). Table 5.11: Prevalence of dowry (%) Situation of dowry Ahmedabad State Average Prevalent to a large extent Prevalent to some extent 5.3 5.3 Not prevalent 26.7 26.7 No response 42.2 42.2 25.8 25.8 Widow and divorcee remarriage A sizeable majority (50.7 %) of Jain respondents favoured remarriage of Jain divorcees/widows. However, 25.8 % did not favour such alliances while, 23.6 % respondents gave no response to this question.

Table 5.12: Widow and divorcee remarriage (%) District Question: Do you support remarriage of divorcees/widows in Jains? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 50.7 25.8 23.6 50.7 25.8 23.6 Divorce Only 12.0 % of the respondents reported known cases of divorce within their family or amongst their relatives (Table 5.13). Table 5.13: Divorce (%) District Question: Has there been any case of divorce in your family/relations? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 12.0 61.3 26.7 12.0 61.3 26.7 Membership of Jain Associations Majority of Jains (93.3 %) did not reveal their association or affiliation with any Jain social or religious group, even with two major socio-religious associations namely; Bharatiya Jain Sanghatan and Jain Conference command only 6.6 % of Jains as their members. Table 5.14: Organization and Associational Distribution (%) Bharatiya Jain Sanghatan Ahmedabad State Average Jain Conference No response 5.3 5.3 1.3 1.3 93.3 93.3 Inter-Ethnic Relations As pointed out earlier, in spite of Jainism being a separate religion, Jains are often regarded as Vaishyas in the framework of the Hindu Varna-Vyavastha. Our survey revealed that 58.7 % considered Jains as a separate community independent of Hindus, while 12.0 % considered Jains to be a part of the Hindu Varna system (Table 5.15).

Table 5.15: Jainism and Hinduism (%) Within the Hindu Varna system Ahmedabad State Average A separate community independent of Hindus 12.0 12.0 No response 58.7 58.7 29.3 29.3 Concluding Remarks This chapter is mainly based on the opinions of the respondents on certain issues pertaining to family, marriage and Jain identity, which have repercussions on Jain population dynamics. Family type: Joint family (52.0 %) is still the prevailing family type but 33.3 % nuclear families show the emerging trend towards nuclear families. Caste system: No clear understanding prevails amongst Jains as 65.3 % reported Jain religion as their caste, and 13.8 % reported /caste correctly while 20.9 % did not respond. Marital status: 48.4 % male and 42.3 % female reported as being married. 1.7 % male & 3.1 % female was widowers/widows respectively. Surprisingly, about 49.9 % male & 54.6 % female did not reveal their marital status. Changes in the institution of marriage: Inter-caste marriage: 69.8 % were aware of the growing trend. Preferences: 66.7 % do not prefer compared to 22.1 % youth preferring it. Reasons: 33.3 % Jains and 51.9 % Jain youth cited co-education and co- Arranged/love: working as the main reason with 11.1 % Jains and 12.5 % Jain youth citing non-availability of suitable match within the community. 49.8 % reported arranged marriages being replaced by love marriages. Other changes: 33.8 % responded late marriage as a major change in the marriage institution,14.2 % preferred day-time marriages. 7.1 % have consideration whether it is solemnized by a Jain pandit or otherwise.

Prevalence of dowry: 32.0 % said that it is prevailing to a large(5.3%) or at least to some extent (26.7%). Remarriage: 50.7 % support remarriage of widows and divorcees. Increase in divorces: 61.3 % did not think so that they are increasing. Membership to Jain social organization: 6.8 % only reported as being member of one or the other Jain social organizations. Jain identity: 58.7 % Consider Jainism as an independent religion with its own identity while 12.0 % consider Jainism being a part of Hinduism with 29.3 % not responding. The above analysis shows an emerging Jain family status and associated value system in line with growing education and expectations of Jain youth and the nation at large. However, the community leadership has to initiate steps to ensure that the Jain values and identity is intact.

Chapter – 6 JAIN WAY OF LIFE This chapter analyses the various aspects of Jain way of life, as practiced and followed by Gujarat Jain population. The parameters that account for these practices include visit to temples, dietary habits, teaching of religious practices and the drift of youth away from the tenets of Jainism in modern times. While Ahimsa (non-violence), Aparigraha (non- attachment), self-restrain, Anekantvada, celibacy, vows and fasting are emphasized as the cornerstone of Jain teaching, the survey could include only certain aspects of Jain way of life, as defined in its objectives. For example, Brhamcharya is an important part of Jain way of life. “Jain ethics for householders lays significant importance on Brhamcharya. Lust is also considered as a psychical possession and cause of tainting the pure nature of soul. The vows of celibacy in Jainism for a householder is called Svadarasantoshpariman that limits the sexual relation to one's religiously wedded spouse only and gradually enhanced to complete abstinence.” (Jain, Shugan C, 2017, pp 62) It must be noted that religious ideologies/identities and way of life are often conceptualized in terms of bi-polarity: conservative vs liberal, orthodox vs heterodox, etc. Thus, Hinduism is generally considered as liberal and the Islam as conservative. Jainism can also be characterized by a very high degree of asceticism and orthodoxy. The Jain identity and the way of life get shaped accordingly and is a matter of choice and practice. Thus, for example, our survey study of Jains in Gujarat found the Jain way of life as highly orthodox in terms of daily visit to temple, vegetarianism, eating before sunset etc. Our Gujarat State survey data appear to be suggesting a moderate and flexible Jain way of life on all the indicators except the vegetarian diet which can be regarded as more or less an absolute and universal indicator of Jain identity (see Tables 6.3 and 6.4). In the case of “eating before sunset” # 37.3 % Jains adhere to take food before sunset while 40.9 % of our respondents said they found it difficult to follow this trend in their daily routine. Incidentally, a considerable number of respondents did not respond to questions on Jain way of life. The ‘No Response’ percentage in our survey measured 8.6 % Youth and 21.8 % adults. Visit temple Table 6.1 reveals that a large majority of Jains visit the temple/Sthanak daily (75.8 % male and 78.6 % female). About 3.8 % male and 7.1 % female Jains were found to be visiting the religious places occasionally, while 18.0 % male and 14.3 % female did not give their response for this question. Data on distribution of youth respondents’ visit to temple are presented in Table 6.2. Accordingly, 75.4 % male youth & 74.3 % female Youth make daily visit to the temple, whereas about 11.6 % male youth & 25.7 % female youth do this occasionally. Sunday visitors are male youth only (5.8 %), while 7.2 % Jain male youth did not respond for this question.

Table 6.1: Visit to temple (%) District Daily Occasionally Sunday Only during No response Ahmedabad MF MF MF State Average 75.8 78.6 3.8 7.1 1.4 0.0 Paryushan Parv 75.8 78.6 3.8 7.1 1.4 0.0 M FMF 0.9 0.0 18.0 14.3 0.9 0.0 18.0 14.3 Table 6.2: Visit to temple/Sthanak (Youth) (%) District Daily Occasionally Sunday Only during No Paryushan response Ahmedabad MF MF MF MF MF State Average 75.4 74.3 11.6 25.7 5.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.2 0.0 75.4 74.3 11.6 25.7 5.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.2 0.0 Food after sunset Even though the general perception is of taking food before sunset amongst the Jains, yet only a minority of Gujarat Jain respondents (37.3 %) did not take food after sunset. This figure changes significantly amongst youth as 53.8 % take food after sunset. (See Table 6.4) Table 6.3: Food after sunset (%) District Question: Take food after sunset? No Response Ahmedabad Yes No 21.8 State Average 40.9 37.3 21.8 40.9 37.3 Table 6.4: Food after sunset (youth) (%) District Question: Take food after sunset? No Response Ahmedabad Yes No 8.6 State Average 53.8 37.5 8.6 53.8 37.5 Drinking Jain way of life stresses on moderation of food habits and self-restrain in consumption of any kind of intoxicants. An overwhelming majority of Gujarat Jain (65.3 %) said that they did not consume liquor, while surprisingly 34.7 % did not respond to the query.

Very few Jain youth in Gujarat (1.0 %) admitted of drinking alcohol (See Table 6.6). Table 6.5: Drinking (%) District Question: Drink alcohol? No Response Ahmedabad Yes No 34.7 State Average 0.0 65.3 34.7 0.0 65.3 Table 6.6: Drinking (youth) (%) District Question: Drink alcohol? No Response Ahmedabad Yes No 10.5 State Average 1.0 88.5 10.5 1.0 88.5 Dietary Habits As a part of the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence), killing of animals or any kind of violence on creatures is prohibited in Jainism. An overwhelming majority (65.8 %) of our respondents said that they were vegetarian. However, the no response category at about 34.2 % is very high indicating an alarming situation for the Jain community. A very small percentage (1.0 %) of the Jain youth respondents take non-vegetarian food. Assuming “No response” cases (11.5 %) as the indirect supporters of non-vegetarianism, one can says that some of them might be taking non-veg food (See Table 6.8). Table 6.7: Dietary Habits (%) Question: Eat non-vegetarian food? District Yes No No Response Ahmedabad 0.0 65.8 34.2 State Average 0.0 65.8 34.2 Table 6.8: Dietary Habits (youth) (%) Question: Eat non-vegetarian food? District Yes No No Response Ahmedabad 1.0 87.5 11.5 State Average 1.0 87.5 11.5

Youth drifting away from Jainism The appeal of Jainism among youth is an important religious issue. Our survey found that a majority (44.0 %) of Gujarat Jains believed that its youths were drifting away from Jain philosophy and way of life, while 32.4 % did not agree to the preposition. A large percentage (23.6 %) of our respondents did not respond to the question. Drifting away from Jainism by younger generation of Jains is also admitted by about 52.9 % of Jain youth, whereas only 36.5 % of them denied it (See Table 6.10). Table 6.9: Opinion about drifting of youth from Jainism (%) District Question: Younger generation is drifting away from Jainism? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 44.0 32.4 23.6 44.0 32.4 23.6 Table 6.10: Opinion about drifting of youth from Jainism (Youth) (%) District Question: Younger generation is drifting away from Jainism? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 52.9 36.5 10.6 52.9 36.5 10.6 Religious education To a query whether Jain religious education was imparted to them, some 31.6 % of our respondents answered in affirmation, while 44.0 % denied of receiving Jain religions education. However, 24.4 % of the respondents did not responded. Table 6.11: Religious education (%) District Question: Religious Education? No Response Ahmedabad Yes No 24.4 State Average 31.6 44.0 24.4 31.6 44.0

Should religious education be made mandatory? Surprisingly, a large majority (77.8 %) of Gujarat State Jain respondents believed that religious education should be mandatory for Jain children in order to inculcate the ethos of Jainism in them. However, some 0.9 % of our respondents felt that no such compulsion should be forced upon children while 21.3 % did not express their opinion (Table 6.12). Table 6.12: Should religious education be made mandatory? (%) District Question: Do you think that religious education should be made compulsory to Jain children? Ahmedabad State Average Yes No No Response 77.8 0.9 21.3 77.8 0.9 21.3 Opinion on Jainism The Gujarat Sample Survey Jain population's opinion on Jainism was measured under three broad parameters: whether there were too many rituals in Jainism, the lack of exposure to Jainism and Jainism’s harmonious existence with modern culture. Surprisingly, lack of exposure to Jainism was cited as the main reason (50.2 % male & 71.4 % female) about its perception among the Jains in the State, followed by too many rituals in the religion and not being in tune with the modern culture. The 'No response' was found to be quite high at 29.9 % male & 28.6 % female. Some respondents in 'other category' cited too much emphasis on modern education, thus leading to the neglect of Jain religious teaching. Some also cited lack of infrastructural facilities and the lack of awareness on Jainism. However, a common consensus was that Jain community should lay stress on imparting Jain teachings to Jain children and youth. The youth response to on these issues was also significance. The lack of exposure to Jainism was listed as the main reason of drifting by 63.8 % male youth & 51.4 % female youth followed by too many rituals in Jainism (10.1 % male youth & 17.1 % female youth). 5.8 % of male youth and 20.0 % female youth said that Jainism is not “in tune with modern culture”. However,20.3 % Jain male youth & 11.4 % Jain female Youth did not express their opinion.

Table 6.13: Reasons of drifting away from Jainism (%) District Too Many Lack of Not in tune Other No rituals in exposure to with response Jainism MF Jainism modern 0.0 0.0 MF MF culture 0.0 0.0 29.9 28.6 Ahmedabad 10.0 0.0 MF MF 29.9 28.6 State Average 10.0 0.0 50.2 71.4 10.0 0.0 50.2 71.4 10.0 0.0 Table 6.14: Reasons of drifting away from Jainism (Youth) (%) Too Many rituals Lack of exposure Not in tune No response with modern District in Jainism to Jainism MF culture 20.3 11.4 Ahmedabad MF M F MF 20.3 11.4 State Average 10.1 17.1 63.8 51.4 5.8 20.0 10.1 17.1 63.8 51.4 5.8 20.0 Popularizing Jainism To a query as to how Jainism could be popularized, a large number of Gujarat respondents felt that the onus of its popularity rests with the Jain community. 32.7 % male & 28.6 %female suggested organizing the religious Classes for teaching of Jainism and 18.5 % male & 28.6 % female suggested imparting Jain religious teachings through Shivir (camps) for children and youth. Some 31.9 % male youth & 25.7 % female youth of our respondents felt that Jain moral education should be included in the school/college curriculum to make it popular among the Jain students. Some of Gujarat respondents felt that parents should teach their children about Jainism while others laid stress on the need of publicity, advertisement, workshop, religious hymns and musical programs for making the religion popular among the youth. Some of our respondents also said that Jain educational institutions should be set-up in cities to teach Jainism. Jain youth responses were more or less on the same pattern as that of the general Jain population of Gujarat. Among the suggestions for imparting religious education to youth the following were important ones: religious/spiritual camps (40.6 % male & 28.6 % female),

religious education programs (31.9 % male & 25.7 % female) and special training courses (18.8 % male & 28.6 % female). Table 6.15: Suggestions for Popularizing Jainism (%) District Jain moral Jain Sunday Jain shivris Other No education schools for (camps) for response Ahmedabad classes in MF State Average school/colleges teaching religious 0.0 0.0 MF MF Jainism education 0.0 0.0 29.4 42.9 32.7 28.6 MF MF 29.4 42.9 32.7 28.6 19.4 0.0 18.5 28.6 19.4 0.0 18.5 28.6 Table 6.16: Suggestions for Popularizing Jainism (youth) (%) District Jain moral Jain Sunday Jain shivris Other No education schools for (camps) for response Ahmedabad classes in MF State Average school/colleges teaching religious 0.0 0.0 MF MF Jainism education 0.0 0.0 8.7 17.1 31.9 25.7 MF MF 8.7 17.1 31.9 25.7 18.8 28.6 40.6 28.6 18.8 28.6 40.6 28.6 Religious education In Gujarat Sample Survey a small number of Jains were reluctant to participate in our survey out or loss of privacy of family information in spite of our assurance for strict adherence to confidentiality and non-disclosure of personal information. Surprisingly, majority (43.6 % male & 51.4 % female) of our respondents believed that religious education should be made mandatory for Jain children for inculcating in them the values and the Jain way of life. Table 6.17: Suggestion for religious education (%) District Spiritual Campus Special Training Religious No response education Ahmedabad MF MF program MF State Average 33.3 20.1 4.3 2.8 MF 18.8 25.7 33.3 20.1 4.3 2.8 43.6 51.4 18.8 25.7 43.6 51.4

Concluding Remarks This chapter is mainly based on the opinions of the respondents on Jain Way of life including food and dietary habits, visiting temples, religious interactions amongst youth and so on. Summary of the findings are given below: Visit to temples: 75.8 % male & 78.6 % female adults visit the temple/sthanak daily, while 75.4 % male youth & 74.3 Food after Sunset: % female youth visit occasionally. Drinking: 37.3 % adults do not take food after Sunset while 53.8 Dietary Habits: % youth do eat after sunset. 65.3 % adults & 88.5 % Youth do not consume alcohol. 65.8 % adults were vegetarian, while 34.2 % did not respond. Remarkably 87.5 % Jain Youth strictly obey to take vegetarian food. Opinion about certain issues pertaining to Jain way of life: Drifting away: 44.0 % adult and 52.9 % Youth said that Jain youth were drifting away from Jainism. Reasons of drifting: 50.2 % male and 71.4 % female adults cited lack of exposure to Jainism as the main reason. 63.8 % male youth and 51.4 % female youth also cited this as a reason. 10.0 % male adults also cited too many rituals as another reason, while 10.1 % male youth & 17.1 % female youth cited this as also another reason. 10.0 % male adults cited ‘not in tune with times’ as also an important reason while 5.8 % male youth & 20.0 % female youth cited this also as a reason. Religious education received: 31.6 % adults said they had got religious education. Mandatory religious education: 77.8 % believed that religious education should be Popularizing Jainism: mandatory to Jain children. 32.7 % male & 28.6 % female adults were in favour of Jain moral education in Schools or colleges while 31.9 % male & 25.7 % female youth supported this. Surprisingly, 18.5 % male & 28.6 % female adults and 40.6 % male youth & 28.6 % female youth supported organizing special camps /shivirs for Jain education.