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In the history of Rajasthan, there were remarkable and influential Jains who served as the state's prime ministers, known as dewans, owing to their integrity, courage, and honesty. These Jain dewans upheld the values of their religion, showing compassion and kindness towards animals, participating in the restoration of Jain temples, and attending religious discourses led by Jain monks. The rulers of Rajasthan, too, respected Jain practices and principles.
Rana Jagatsinh, for instance, prohibited animal killing during the month of Bhadrapad to honor his birthdate. Rana Kumbha undertook the renovation of a Jain temple and banned fishing in Pichhola Lake and Uday Sagar in Udaipur. During the reign of Rana Jagatsinh's son, Rajsinh, Dewan Dayalshah served as the state's dewan. He constructed an impressive nine-floor temple with 52 small temples at a considerable cost. However, this magnificent temple, known as jinprasad, drew the attention of the Moghul emperor Aurangzeb.
Aurangzeb, known for his bigotry, grew suspicious, thinking that the grand temple might be a front for constructing a massive fort to challenge his authority. In 1674, he launched an invasion with a large army. Dewan Dindayal led the defense on behalf of the Rana and managed to convince Aurangzeb that the Jain temple only had two floors and appeared taller due to its peak. This explanation saved the temple, but it left the Rana uneasy, fearing the wrath of the emperor.
Rana Rajsinh was busy constructing walls around the Raj Sagar lake to prevent flooding during monsoons. Despite multiple attempts, the walls kept getting breached. Dewan Dayalshah's devout wife, Patpade, was relieved that the Jain temple was spared, but she was anxious about the delayed installation of the temple's idol.
To find a solution, Rana Rajsinh believed that Patpade's religious influence might help. He asked her to lay the foundation of the wall construction, which miraculously completed in a short time without damage in the subsequent heavy monsoon. Impressed by the power of religious devotion, the Rana granted Dewan Dayalshah and Patpade permission to build a four-faced Jina temple and install the idol. The Jain idols were finally installed on the seventh day of Vaishakh Sud in V. S. 1675, with the blessings of Acharya Vinaysagarsuri.
