It was in 1026 that Mahmud Ghazni raided the Temple of Somanatha for its wealth, leading to the destruction of its many idols. Thapar, in her overall monograph, wishes to explore the unique narratives written at the time by placing them into a historical context. The goal of this study is not to reestablish the history of the event, but to examine the various perspectives and ideas depicted in these sometimes ambiguous, or conflicting, sources. One historical interpretation of this crucial moment in Indian history involves the biographies, chronicles and epics of Jaina scholars. The narrative of this group of individuals provides historians with a perspective that has for the most part been lost and forgotten. Jaina scholars, in their writings, are able to provide historians with a description of their ideals, while also avoiding mentioning Mahmud Ghazni’s raid on Somanatha. Any and every source from this period can be of vital importance to understanding the mindset of the people at the time. The Janis scholars are one of many groups that historians hope to truly understand and incorporate in their respective works.
The Jaina scholars who are most useful to the study of Mahmud Ghazni’s raid are those of Gurat from the eleventh to the fifteenth century. Their connection with the Somanatha temple comes from their pious nature, as well as the need for them to assist in the renovating and remodeling of temples. Text written by these individuals ranged from historical biographies to charita literature surrounding the Jaina. With that said, the authors of these books wrote more then just the history of Jaina sects; their writing also involved a multitude of kings and ministers, the key was that these individuals embodied the Jaina ide...
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... power through the practice of their religion and ideals.
All in all, one historical interpretation of this crucial moment in Indian history involves the biographies, chronicles and epics of Jaina scholars. The Jaina scholars chose to place emphasis on their strengths, instead of acknowledging the problems of foreign attacks. The destruction of their icons was expected, and because the Jaina had wealthy merchants to repair them, did not see any issue. The raid on the temple of Somanatha was like any other of these attacks, and in no time would be forgotten through the reparations of the merchants. The actions of the wealthy individuals only further assisted the Jaina in their grasp for political strength and authority.
Works Cited
Thapar, Romila. "Biographies, Chronicles and Epics." Somanatha: The Many Voices of a
History. London: Verso, 2005. 101-39. Print.
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...42-46, 107-121, 173-175 in Religions of the Ancient Near East. The Westminster Press, 1972, Print.
Classical Hindu Mythology. Cornelia Dimmitt and J. A. B. van Buitenen. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1978. 38-40. Print.
Jainism is one of the oldest religions founded in India (“History of Jainism”). Jainism holds...
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McLeod, H. (2008). The Five Ks of the Khalsa Sikhs. Journal of the American Oriental Society, 128.2 : 325-331.
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