ABSTRACT
Caste is the unique reality of the Hindu society. It is not only the most significant feature of those who profess Hinduism but has also overtly or covertly colonized protagonists of religions which explicitly reject the caste system, such as, Christianity and Islam after they settled down in this country. In the post-independence period a variety of reasons had again created interest in writing history of castes and communities. The social history of the Jains is the history of schisms in the community which began quite early in its career. The caste system of the Hindus had invaded the Jains. The subdivisions among the Jains are referred to in the fifth century AD. Those Jains, who did not join the religious order also produced literary works, religious, semi-religious and secular in the local languages which enabled the common Jain to become conversant with the broad contours of their religion and history and become aware of their Jain identity.
