This is a translation of the preface to Jeyamohan’s அருகர்களின் பாதை, titled அறத்தின் தடத்தில். Over the coming weeks and months, I will continue to publish translations of chapters from this book in installments. These translations are published with the author’s consent.
In 2007, when I became acquainted with friends from Erode – among them Krishnan – I began visiting Erode twice a year. During those visits, we traveled by motorbike to Jain heritage sites such as Vijayamangalam and Arasalur. In these regions, the few remaining Jains have largely converted to Hinduism, and most of the ancient temples remain locked. In some places, Jain deities have been assigned Hindu names, and worship continues under those names.
During those days, we spoke at length about Jainism. I mentioned that Jainism’s greatest contribution lay in the creation of trade routes across India and the establishment of an extensive commercial network. The Jain emphasis on nonviolence played a crucial role in reducing conflicts among the thousands of tribes that once inhabited the subcontinent. In this way, Jainism enabled cultural exchange and commerce among diverse communities.
Because this approach supported the growth of mercantile activity, merchants actively promoted Jainism. Thus, Jainism spread across India as a religion closely associated with trade. Kings, too, embraced it, because nations can be united without war and the treasury can be filled through tax collection, without any plunder. This is one of the greatest gifts bestowed upon India by the Tirthankaras.
Even today, this truth can be observed in the problems of India’s northeastern states. In regions where major religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism have taken root, ethnic conflicts are relatively rare. Religion binds people into larger collectives and creates a social order. In areas where tribal systems dominate, history often continues as a cycle of conflict and bloodshed.
As part of that conversation, I spoke about the ‘Five Virtues’ of the Jains. They regarded five specific gifts – food, shelter, education, medicine, and the teaching of virtue – as their fundamental charitable acts. The place where Jain monks slept was known as a ‘palli.’ (‘Pallai’ refers to the ribs or side of the body; ‘palli’ implies the act of lying down or sleeping – as seen in the phrase ‘breathing like a sleeping elephant’ by the poet Kapilar in the Kurunthogai). Kings and merchants constructed rock-cut beds within cave dwellings for the Jains to sleep on. These locations were called Palli Thalangal (Palli sites). Because education was provided at these sites, we eventually began calling the place where one learns a ‘palli‘ (school).
The practice of calling the collective places of worship of non-Hindu religions ‘palli’ here originated from Jain terminology; Christian and Islamic places of worship are often referred to as ‘palli’. In fact, Jainism may be considered the earliest true “missionary religion,” spreading not through conversion but through service. Jain centers have long been known for their charitable character.
I had read that Jain charitable institutions once existed across India, each located no more than a day’s walk apart. When I mentioned this, my friends suggested that if such centers still existed, we should undertake a journey to experience them firsthand. That journey became possible only in 2012. We set out from Erode on January 15. The group consisted of myself, K. P. Vinoth, Krishnan, Rajamanickam, Muthukrishnan, K. V. Arangasamy, and Kadalur Seenu. Along the way, Arangasamy dropped off, and Senthilkumar Devan joined us.
Contrary to our expectations, Jain charitable centers continue to function across India even today. During our month-long journey, which ended on February 13, we rarely stayed in hotels. At most Jain centers, we were offered free food and accommodation. No one asked about the purpose of our travels. In some places, meals were prepared exclusively for us. Even in remote villages, Jain institutions welcomed us. Excluding vehicle expenses, the total cost for food, lodging, and snacks came to just ₹2,500 per person.
Looking back, this journey stands out as one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. Though I have traveled many times since, none has been as fulfilling. Its significance lies in the fact that we were journeying through an unacknowledged history. In many Jain temples, we were the only visitors. Often, we had to ask around extensively and search with difficulty to locate them. At times we lost our way and had to begin again. In other places, we encountered unexpected wonders – magnificent cultural monuments and great centers of art overlooked and forgotten by conventional history. Today, that journey feels like an immense dream.
I had long intended to revise and reshape these articles into a book, but I found myself unable to do so. I could not re-enter the mental state of that journey. Each day after traveling, I would bathe, sit down, write about that day’s experiences, upload them to my site, and go to sleep. At times the writing was agitated; at others, it remained fragmentary. Naturally, each piece reflected the state of mind of that particular day. I did not then know their value as literature, but I now feel that this rawness is precisely what makes them true.
I dedicate this book to the memory of my beloved Kumaraguruparan.
Jeyamohan
December 2016
Transverse 