Rediscovering Tamil Jaina Identity

Let me begin by stating that the book under review, Reading History with the Tamil Jainas: A Study on Identity, Memory and Marginalisation by R Umamaheshwari, is one of the most readable books written by a historian, and for that reason, I would strongly recommend it. Unlike many of the scholarly books written on community history or the history of religion, this book does not merely present you with a set of “facts,” but invites you to enter into a dialogue with the author.

Having said this, I must also state that, while I admire the study undertaken by Umamaheshwari, I disagree with her on many of her presumptions and even more strongly with her politics and her reading of the Tamil Jainas as a marginalised community requiring the special attention of the powers that be. I shall come back to this point at the end of this review.