The Monk and the Merchant: The Contrasting Experiences of Jains in the Colonial World

Abstract

Jain ascetics and Jain laypeople and merchants all suffered harms under British colonial rule. However, some ascetics arguably faced especially onerous challenges, finding themselves barred from common society due to their “sky-clad” practices or pressured to relinquish such spiritual practices under British policies that overlooked Jainism’s distinct status apart from Hinduism. In contrast, the Jain merchant experience under colonial policies, both on the Indian subcontinent and in British colonies abroad, reflected expanding business opportunities in the emerging global economy. This essay opens up a discussion about the vexing political and ethical dilemmas that mark the experiences of Jains during the colonial period.