The present study ‘Jaina Economic Life: Ancient and Medieval India’ traces how people earned their livelihood through agriculture, farming and trade. According to Jaina texts Samaraiccakaha, Kuvalayamala, Upamitibhava-prapanchakatha and several other works agriculture was the important source of earning. Peasants were the backbone of the society. There were both small farmers and big landlords. Jaina texts give information about the earlier agricultural technology and system of irrigation of fields, principal crops, industrial ventures, professional groups of skilled craftsmen and the working class. According to Jain Katha texts next to agriculture, spinning and weaving was the most important industry in ancient and medieval times. Cloth was manufactured throughout the country. This study clearly reveals that Jaina community was fully aware of their role in the origin and growth of agricultural activities, industry and trade channels besides technological formations which took place gradually in due cource of time. It is thus clear that the management and control of industry and trade was in the hands of mercantile class and they occupied an important position in the socio-economic sphere. The mercantile class no doubt had opted Janism from the very beginning and lived peacefully following the religious path shown by the Tirthankaras.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR K.L. Chanchreek
K.L. Chanchreek is a great scholar and Indologist, academician and cultural activist, linquist and folklorist, poet and litteratueur, biographer and bibliographer. Born in delhi (1933) and educated at Agra, Delhi and Punjab Universities (1952-1957), he served in various capacities under the Government of India as Research Assistant, Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology and later Member, Experts Advisory Committee, Chief Librarian, M/o Commerce and Industry, General Manager, Modern Food Industries (A govt. of India Undertaking) Chief Editor, Collected Works of Dr. Ambedkar (Dr. Ambedkar Foundatioin, Govt. of India), and Academic Adviser, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar School of Social Sciences, Bundelkhand University. He has edited several literary and social journals. He has also written an compited books and research publications on a wide range of subjects like Jainology, Buddism, literature, library and information science folklore, Dalit movement, international nad current affairs as well as on national leaders. He has nearly four dozen titles to his credit both in Hindi and English brought out by the leading publishers and Government departments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mahesh Jain
Born in Rohtak (1950) and educated at Agra and Meerut University, Dr. Jain has written and complited several works on various disciplines e.g. Jainism, Management, Research methodology, Modern Indian history and literatuare both in Hindi and English, as co-author. He has expertise on print media and associated with several cultural, literary and social organizations.
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