| It is said that
the indigenous population of the province of "Safa" was not only keen to listen
to Mahavira but even went to the length of assaulting him.But the undaunted Lord Mahavira
went about preaching his cult of tolerance and renunciation and ultimately his saintliness
touched the heart of the indigenous population. Many
of them were converted to Jainism. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller in the 17th century
A.D. mentions that he came across a province, which he called "Safa".
General unningham had mentioned that Bara Bazaar of the Barbhum in Purulia district was
the headquarters of this "Safa" province.
A portion of the population that has been in Purulia
district for centuries is known as Srawakas. The Srawakas were traditionally lay
Jains and were engaged in some sort of trade.Some of the Jain antiquities in Manbhum,
which are comparatively unknown, may be mentioned. There is a temple at Balrampur commonly
known may be mentioned. |
