The famous Ellora Caves demonstrate that Jainism was part of a thriving religious culture in Maharashtra in premodern times.

The first Marathi inscription known is at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka near the left foot of the statue of Bahubali, dated 981 CE.

Many of forts were built by kings from these dynasties and thus Jain temples or their remains are found in them.

Texts such as the Shankardigvijaya and Shivlilamruta suggest that a large number of Marathi people followed jainism in the ancient period.

The communities tend to be endogamous, and generally do not intermarry with the Jains who have arrived from North India.