The Oswal (sometimes spelled Oshwal or Osval) are a Jain merchant community with origins in Osian, a town in the Marwar region of Rajasthan, India.
They were formerly also found in the Tharparkar district of Sindh (pre-partition), in present-day Pakistan. The Oswal community is traditionally associated with both the Śvetāmbara and Digambara sects of Jainism.[Baya, D. S. Oswals and Other Jains of Rajasthan. Panchshil Publications, 2000, p. 250235.] While the majority of Oswals follow Śvetāmbara practices, certain subgroups, such as the Bardias, were influenced by the Digambara monk "Acharya Nemichandra Suri" and have maintained the Digambara tradition over generations..[Baya, D. S. Oswals and Other Jains of Rajasthan. Panchshil Publications, 2000, p. 25-35.][Jain, Kailash Chand. History of Jainism in Rajasthan. Bharatiya Jnanpith, 1980, pp. 145–147.]
Creation of the Oswāl clan
Ratnaprabhasuri's penance near Upkeśapattan
According to a legend, in 457 BC, Ratnaprabhasuri was at
Mount Abu, and demi-goddess
Chakreshvari appeared before him and urged him to spread the word of
Jainism and save animals from religious violence in
Maru Pradesh. She said that
Swayamprabhasuri could not go beyond
Bhinmal and
Porwal. He agreed to her and started moving towards
Rajasthan with his 500 disciples. Upon reaching, he and his disciples started a month-long penance on a small hill just outside the town. When it was time to break the fast, his disciples entered the town to beg for alms. They could not find food 'free from 42 faults' as all residents of the town worshipped
Chamunda, performed animal sacrifice, and consumed food unfit for Jain monks. In such situation, it was getting difficult for monks to survive and Ratnaprabhasuri ordered all his disciples to begin moving to another city.
Ratnaprabhasuri's chaturmasya at Upkeśapattan
Legends say that demi-goddesses
Chamunda and
Chakreshvari are friendly to one another. Due to this relationship between them and knowing that the monks sent by
Chakreshvari were going away,
Chamunda met Ratnaprabhasuri and urged him to stay for
Chaturmasya. He ordered monks who would not be able to perform severe penance to start walking towards another town. 465 monks left and 35 monks stayed with him.
Uppaldeva's daughter Saubhāgyadevi was married to his minister Uhada's son. He was bitten by a snake and all forms of treatment did not help revive him. When he was being taken for cremation, Chamunda took the form of a white-clad Jain monk and told the people that he was still alive and then disappeared.
Ratnaprabhasuri's sermon
He delivered an impactful sermon on the various bodies a soul wanders in and how rare a birth a human is. He emphasized that in such a rare state, one should perform acts of righteousness and embrace non-violence. He then preached about the twelve vows of householders and
Five Vows that lead to
Ratnatraya and eventual
moksha. He condemned the consumption of alcohol and meat sternly and on giving up animal sacrifice. He also insisted upon embracing non-violence.
Further, he preached about establishing
, installing icons of
, and worshipping them regularly. Everyone regretted their acts of violence the moment his sermon ended. All residents of the town, along with King Uppaldeva accepted
Jainism wholeheartedly.
Ratnaprabhasuri's debate with Brahmins
Shaivism were infuriated looking at the influence of Ratnaprabhasuri on the residents of the town. They demanded a
Śāstrārtha (). Ratnaprabhasuri and his 35 disciples agreed to it. The Brahmins began by stating the lack of devotion in Jains and questioning Jainism's antiquity. Ratnaprabhasuri's disciple
Vīrdhawalopādhyāya countered this claim by stating accounts of Jainism in the Brahmin scriptures. Ratnaprabhasuri concluded the debate stating that they have no benefit in people accepting or rejecting Jainism and that it is their moral duty to spread the word of Jainism. Brahmins eventually lost the debate and the entire town converted to Jainism. Several Jain temples were established several icons were consecrated. Ratnaprabhasuri also wrote several non-canonical scriptures such as
Tattvamimansa,
Tattvavichār etc.
Establishment of Osian's 'Mahavira Temple'
Uppaladeva's minister Uhada was already establishing a temple dedicated to
Vishnu. However, the construction was being hindered. Ratnaprabhasuri suggested him to construct it with
Mahavira as the principal deity. The temple was ready. The residents of the town asked Ratnaprabhasuri about an icon to consecrate. He knew that
Chamunda was preparing one using sand and the milk of a cow, so he asked the residents to keep patience. According to scriptural and local legends, one day, the cowherd saw his cow discharging milk at a part in the village. He informed Minister Uhada and the latter dug the land there. He found an idol of the 24th
Tirthankara Mahavira. They urged Ratnaprabhasuri to consecrate this idol in the temple.
However, the preceptor knew that the idol was unfinished and needed 7 more days to be completely sculpted by the demi-goddess. However, looking at the excitement and devotion among the people, he allowed digging and taking the idol out.
Chamunda was angered by this and forced every householder to sacrifice one goat and every household to sacrifice one buffalo every day during the 9 days of the
Navaratri.
Conversion of Chāmundā into 'Sacchiya Mātā'
After a lengthy sermon by Ratnaprabhasuri,
Chāmundā realized that violence was not the correct way and attained the
Ratnatraya. She became a samyaktvi (one of right faith, knowledge, and conduct) demi-goddess. She was renamed to Sacchiya Mātā by Ratnaprabhasuri and was consecrated as the
adhiśthāyikā () of the Mahavira Jain temple, Osian. A shrine dedicated to her was also constructed on the small hill where Ratnaprabhasuri had performed penance.
Later, the idol of
Mahavira was consecrated.
Establishment of the 'Oswāl clan'
The residents of the town insisted upon Ratnaprabhasuri to name their clan different from
Bhinmal and
Porvāls. Ratnaprabhasuri named the clan
Oswāl.
They were strict adherents of the Śvetāmbara sect.
A poetic version of the legend was also written by a later monk belonging to the Upkeśa Gaccha.
Notable people
-
Jhaveri family
-
Shantidas Jhaveri (1584–1659), jeweller, bullion trader, and moneylender
-
Khushalchand (1680–1748), jeweller and financier
-
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai (1863-1912), industrialist
-
Jagat Seth family, merchant, banking, and moneylender family in Bengal
-
Premchand Raichand, stockbroker, businessman, and founder of the Bombay Stock Exchange.
-
Bhamashah a financier, general and minister in the court of the great Rana Pratap of Mewar.
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Bharmal Shah, qiledar of Ranthambore fort appointed by Rana Sanga and was later prime minister under Maharana Udai Singh.
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