Origin of Oswals
The origin of Oswal is disputed.
There are 3 different schools of thought.
I. Opinion
of Jain Acharyas
II. Opinion
of Bhats and Charna
III. Opinion
of historians
Opinion of Jain Acharyas
According to ‘Upkesh Gachh Pattawali’
Acharya Sri Ratna Prabh Suri did his ‘Chathurmas’ in the Veer Sanwat
year 70 at Upkeshpur Pattan and he addressed the king and his people and converted them into Jains.
Changing religion is not a big thing but to make a community to follow
non-violence from violence was a historical achievement. He preached that Yagya
& Havana were all against the Jainism and made all of them mahajan.
New Kingdom of Upkeshpur
Pattan (City)
Accordingly to Upkesh Gachh
Pattawali, the Raja or King of Srimal Pattan had 2 sons – Utpaldev
and Sripunj. One day Utpaldev teased Sripunj, so Sripunj
got angry and said, “you are giving me orders as if you have won this kingdom
by your own means and power”
Utpaldev
immediately realised this and he left the city with his friend Uhad and
met Raja Sadhu of Dhelipur (Delhi). With his blessings he built a new city Upkeshpur. As the
farming of sugar cane (Ganna) was done on that place, the name of the
city was kept as Upkeshpur, which in a short time became famous as Upkeshpur
Pattan. The city was about 12 yojans in length and 9 yojans in
breadth. Many traders, scholars,
Brahmins settled in this new city of Upkeshpur Pattan.
Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri
The city of Raganpur in
the state of Vidyadhar was ruled by Raja Mahendra Chud. The queen
Mahadevi Laxmi gave birth to a son who was named ‘Ratna Chud
Vidhyadhar’. Ratna Chud was a great scholar, very brilliant and had
skills in many Vidhyas. One day
when he was flying in his ‘Viman’ (plane), it stopped near Mount Abu. On
inquiry it was found that Acharya Sri Swamprabh Suri was passing by. Ratna
Chud got down from his plane and bowed to the Acharya. From the
preaching’s of Acharya he became disciple of Acharya and took ‘Disksha’
in the year Veer Sanwat 52. After getting skilled in various
philosophical, intellectual and spiritual rites he became Acharya.
One day Acharya Sri Ratna
Prabh Suri was touring near Abu, ‘Chakreshwari Devi’ came and asked Acharya
if he could visit Upkeshpur Pattan then the Jain religion could be
spread much faster. So the Acharya along with his 500 disciples reached Upkeshpur
Pattan.
In Upkeshpur Brahmins
were very powerful. They had blessings from the king in doing Havan, yagya
etc. So when Acharya came the brahmins did not allow the Acharya
to enter the city. So the Acharya and disciples were forced to stay on Lunadri
mountain. All saints were under the ritual of ‘Maas Shraman’ (Fasting
for a month) so in the evening after evening prayer (Pratikraman) the Acharya
ordered to return back in the morning.
At night ‘Chamunda Devi’
came and bowed to Acharya and asked for forgiveness that she had
forgotten the message of Chakreshwari Devi because she was busy in
dancing. She requested the Acharya that she would create ‘maya’ so that the citizens will
welcome Acharya and disciples. However in the morning Acharya
announced to his disciples, that saints busy in Ghor Tapasya to stay and
the rest to move else where. 465 saints left and 35 remained to continue the
fasting and Tapasya.
The daughter, Saubhagya
Kumari of Raja Utpaldev got
married to Trilok Singh son of the minister Uhad. A snake bite Trilok
singh at night when they both were sleeping. So he died. In the morning
when the funeral procession was going Chamunda Devi appeared in saints
form and told people why they were taking a living man for funeral and disappeared.
Every body discussed and some
people told that they had seen similar saints on Lunadri mountain. All
went there with the procession, there the Devi again reappeared in
saints dress and told that the sadhus have divine powers. If you
sprinkle hot water poured on the Acharya toe on the prince body the prince
would regain life. This was immediately done and as expected the prince was
back to life.
The visit
of Acharya Ratna Prabh Suri
The whole city was overjoyed.
The Acharya and his disciples were treated with full honour and respect
and they entered the city. Crowd was cheering with Jai-Jaikar. Acharya
stopped in front of the fort and said to remove luxurious things like carpets
etc. than only they can enter. All decoration and luxuries were removed and
than Acharya and his disciples entered in the palace. When the king offered
jewels etc. to Acharya, he said, “Oh king, we have already left all
material things long back and we remain busy in tapasya and prayers to
the almighty, we have no pleasures even in seeing these things.“ Everyone was
surprised.
When the sermon was given then
they found out how better the Jain Religion is. The greater happiness can be
found by sacrifice and religious ceremonies. The wealth, prosperity and
physical pleasures are worldly desires. They increase sorrow & unhappiness
at the end. This road leads to hell. The road to heaven is in sacrifices,
donations, Dhyan, meditation etc. Before the birth the child faces 9
months of acute hell. The pain at the time of labor cannot be explained. By the
action of sacrifices and meditation all pleasures can be gained.
In the year Veer Sanwat
70 the Acharya did his chaturmas (where Muni stay in a place for 4 months) The
Acharya and his disciples broke the fast there and due to his continued preaching
and sermons 1500 men and 3000 women became sadhu and Sadhvi
and 140,000 people adopted Jainism.
The foundation day of Oswals
According to Muni Sri Gyan
Sunderji the foundation day of Oswals falls on the fourteenth day of Krishna
Paksha in the month of Shravan. All Jain-Oswals celebrate this with
sacrifice, prayers and meditation.
The KULDEVI of Oswals
The KULDEVI of Oswals is “Maa
Jagat Bhawani Sachhiyay Mata”.
There was a big temple of Chamunda
Mata in Upkeshpur presently known as Osiya situated near Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The temple was known for chamatkars and therefore everybody
prayed to Chamunda Mata. In Navratri buffaloes were butchered.
People used to give offerings of flash of buffaloes to please the Devi. The Acharya
Shri Ratna Prabh Suri stopped this practice of animal killing. Because of
this the goddess got angry and she created pain in the eyes of Sri Acharya. He
did not do anything but continued with the suffering, when Devi found out that
no reaction has taken place, she was ashamed. She asked forgiveness from the
Acharya. Acharya explained that, “You better not allow killing of animals as
offering to you, by asking your devotees to offer you flashes of buffaloes or
other animals you are doing your own harm. You will have to face all the wrong
that are committed in your name, you have been made Goddess because of your
good actions but now you will have to face the hell “ The Goddess got
enlightened she told Acharya,” from today no more such killings would be
allowed in the temple and even red colored flower shall not be offered. I will
accept Prasad & Lapsi, my worship will be done by kesar, chandan
(Sandal wood) and Dhup (incense sticks). I will be happy as long as
people are devoted to lord Mahavira. I will fulfill all the prayers of my devotees.’
Acharya told from today you are Sachhi
Mata. From that day Chamunda mata became and known as Sachhiyay Mata.
The Jain Mandir of
Lord Mahavira at Osiya
It is believed and said that
Sachhiyay mata was devoted in the Bhakti of lord Mahavira so much so that she
decided to build a temple for Lord Mahavira.
The Upkeshpur king had a holy
cow. A vary mysterious thing started happening. Everyday in the evening when
the cow returns from jungle, she had no milk left. This continued for a while.
The person looking after the cows was asked to explain why at particular place cows carried no
milk. The shepherd explained that while the cow was roaming in a heightened
land the milk flowed out from her automatically in all the four directions,
when the milk was finished the cow returned to the herd. Next day also same
scene was seen by thousands of people. King Utpal Dev was informed of
the incident. Next day the king, the Prime minister & several thousand
people gathered and saw the scene. The king narrated the incident to Acharya
Sriji and acharya sri ji understood that this was the work of Chamunda Devi.
Next day at the auspicious hour, the place was dug up and a deity of lord
Mahavira made up of sand was retrieved. In the digging also 9 laks gold coins
were also found which were melted and the idol of God Mahavira was covered with
gold. Later a temple was built. It is said that the opening Pratistha
(the way in which deity is installed) was done by Acharya sriji on Thursday the
5th day of shukla panchami in the year Veer Samvat 70.
At the same time Acharya by his Devik powers did Pratistha for
another Lord Parshvanath temple in Konarpur, which was miles away from
Osiya.
Views/ Philosophy of Bhats and Charans
According to the writing of
Bhats and Charans, the Oswal community was founded in year Vikram Sanwat 222.
According to historian Mr. Pooran Chand Nahar and Daulat singh Bhati the oswal
community came into existence in 222. However Jagga Shah of Abha Nagri made a
big procession of Oswals in 222 and Jagga Shah was Oswal. Which means Oswals
were in existence even before 222 but they were called Mahajans and not Oswals.
It is believed that before year
222 all Oswals were of Mahajan community. In year 222 there was a big meeting
of Mahajans in Khandela (Near Jaipur) in that meeting Mahajans from Osiya (Upkeshpur), Srimal
Nagar, Khandela, Pali, Agrova, Pragvat Nagar etc. came and
attended. From that day all the Mahajans were named according to their places.
Like from Osiya Oswals, from Srimal Srimali, From Khandela Khandelwal, from
Pali Palliwal, from Agrova Agarwal and from Pragvat Porwal etc. Therefore in 70
AD Mahajans came in existence and 222 Ad Oswals came in existence.
Historical View
Some of the historians like Sri
Pooran Chand Nahar, Dr. Bhandarkar, Agarchand Nahata , Hira Chand Ojha, Jagdish
Singh Ghelot, Mohnot, Nensi are of the view that Oswals came in existence
during the period between 70 AD and 222 AD.
Dr. Bhandarkar
says that Utpaldev once asked for Shelter with Parihar king. The Parihar king gave the permission
to re-build Bhelpur Pattan. It is said that shelter which was given is
called Oslakiya (means take shelter) which later on was turned as
Osiya. This was in 9th
century.
According to Sohan Raj
Bhansali the Oswals started from 8th century.
Osiya in history
The archeological team found
many old samples, statues of olden times in Osiya. In the temple of Osiya there
is a deity of Harihar, which is half Shiva & half Vishnu, which is vary
ancient. The paintings found in Osiya include Vasudeva with baby Krishna on his
head, Krishna fighting with horse, Killing of Putna, Kalidaman, Govardhan dharan, butter stealing etc. from the same comes the interesting images of
Balram which seem to represent him as the incarnation of Seshnaga.
In olden days Osiya was a very
big town. Osiya’s Telivada was situated 3 miles away in Tinvari village, at 6
miles is Pandit ji ki Dhani (small Village which is Pandit pur), at another 6
miles away village Kshatripura, at 24 miles is Lohavat which was place iron
smiths colony of Osiya. There were 108 Jain temples in Osiya.
Present Osiya is situated about
40 KM from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is connected by road & train with Jodhpur
and Pokharan.
Conclusions
The
Bhat, Charans and historians
have believed Utpaldev as Parmar after seeing his name in Upkesh gachh
Pattawali and concluded that he is the founder of Oswal dynasty, just by
finding name of Utpaldev in Parmar dynasty it cannot be concluded that Oswals
originated from there.
According to poet Rishab Das book
(Hari Vijay Sri Ras) Agar Chand Nahata concludes that Oswals originated in 510
by Sri Ratna Suriji
According to ‘Mahir Stavan’ and
‘Oswal utpati Vratant’ it is Vikram Sanvat 1011 – 15. Dr. Laxmi Mal Singhvi
concluded that Oswal originated in 5th century BC. Mr. Bhansali
concluded 8th century .Sri Sukh Sampat Raj Bhandari Concludes Vikram
Samvat 508.
According to ‘mathuri vachan 2nd’,
Skandal Suri (357-360) stated about Mathura resident Oswal Polak who made
description on the Tadpatra and gave to
various saints there. Which means
Oswals were in existence in Mathura before 4th century.
According to Col. Todd hundreds
of people of Kshatriya community settled in Osiya gram and were later called
Oswals.
Munsi Devi Prasad has written a
book “Rajputane ki khoj”. As per that an idol of Lord Mahavira found in Kota
while digging and on that name of Bhaisa Shah and V.S. is written, Bhaisa Shah
is of Aditya Nag Gotra. Which proves that Oswals were in existence before V.S.
508.
We can conclude that the
Mahajans originated in VS 70 and later were called Oswals or they might have
been named as oswals in VS 222.