Oswalとは 意味・読み方・使い方

The Oswal are a social group (and caste) of people from the Indian States of Rajasthan and Punjab. Oswals are mainly Jain following the Svetambara tradition, but a few are Digambar Jains and a few areHindus Vaishnavites. According to tradition recounted in several texts, the Oswal community was established by Jain Acharya Ratnaprabha Suri belonging to Upakesha Gachcha, he was the seventh successor Acharya of Jain Tirthankar Parshvanatha on 14th day of the Shravana Month of Indian calendar. According to tradition and bardic accounts, many Marwadis joined Jainism and were coined Oswals,relating to the Place OSIYA where the change took place. Several smaller Jain communities have merged into the Oswal community.