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________________ Four Panca-Tirthikas from Bhagalpur ' . ' LuOU KUMAR SINIA The Svetambara Jaina Temple, Cumpanagar' (asuburb of Bhagalpur town) stands upon the ruins of ancient Jaina temple site of glorious Campapuri, the capital city of A1.1. The present temple was however constructed in about 1760 A.D. by the benevolent Svetambaras of Murshidabad town.' Martin Muntgomary left behind him a detailed account of this temple in his book. Buchanan' attributed this temple to Jagat Seth, bunker of Murshidabad N:rivab. "The present temple is an example of solid masonary work and its thick round large-sized pillars reminds one of the Greco-Roman architectural style. It contains as many as fifty stone and bronze images among whom four bronze Panca-Tirihikas of great archacological as well as religious importance have been selected by the present author for study, The antiquity of Manicu-'irthika icons is hardly four to live hundred years old. Majority of them have been reported from the western Indiit and some of them are housed in the museums abroad. The present author thinks that the Jainas using their golden days (circa 1511-16th century A.D.) propagated the live fold path for attaining the samiyak Jnana' (one of the tri-ratna) in terms of these panca-Tirthika icons. This may also be related to the live fuld vows of the Jainas, viz noninjury, non-lying, abstinance from theft, chastity and detachment from all external and internal temptation. The Punica-Tirthikas under discussion are beautiful examples of the mediaeval inelul urt of India. They are well preserved and are under worship. Five Tirthankaras are grouped together in a geometricul composition. The mula-nayakas, in all the four icons are seated cross-legged in deep meditation. There are two standing Tirthankaras by the side of the mala-nayaka, and on cach end is a standing Ilywhisk-bearer in tribhanga Sinhal, Ajoy Kamr, Jain Strings in Bhagalpur. The Juin Intimary. Vol. 36 No. 2 (Arrah-1983). I. 22-2.. ! Patil, D. R., The Antiquarian Remains in Bihur (Patna-1963), pp. 78-79. * Martin, Mantgomary, The History Intiquities, Topogruphy and Sturistics of Buster India, Vol. ll (London-1837). pp. 29-30. * Buchanan, H.; An Account of the District of Bhagalpur (Patna-1839), pp. 75-76. Uriaradhyayania Sutru, (Jaina Sutras translated by H. Jacobi). * Tallvartha-raja-vartika, Ch. VII, I (Sanatana Jaina Series).
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________________ JANUARY, 1987 105 posture. By the side of the cach mla-nji yaka's halo re two seating Tirthunkarus also in dccp mcditation and on cach end is it cincin Gandharva. Pair of truncatcd clephants are un cither side of mule na yaka's chaira. On the right and left ends of the lion-throne of the mula-nayaka are shown respectively the figures of the attendant Yaksa and Yaksi. In the centre of the lower-most end of the pedestal is placed the mother goddess seated in the ardha-paryankasana. The shrine is iopped by a beautiful finial flanked by pair of fishes. * The earliest of these Pancii-Tirthikais bears the date samvat 1523 (A.D. 1466). The mula-nayaka in this icon is Bhagavan Sambhavanatha, the third Jaina Tirthankara (fig. 1). It bears an inscription on its back. The next belonged to samvat 1591 (A.D. 1524) and its mula-nuyuku is Bhagavan Santinatha, the sixteenth Jaina Tirthankura (lig. 2). The third bears the date samvai 1585 (A.D. 1528). The mula-nayaka in this icon is Bhagavan Adinatha, the first Tirthankara (fig. 3). The last PancaTirthika belonged to samvat 1603 (A.D. 1546) and its mula-nayaka is Bhagavan Sumatinatha, the fifth Jaina Tirthankara (lig. 4). Stylistically, all these four icons belonged to one school and show similarities with the western school of Jaina metal art. The Panca-Tirthikus from Bhagalpur show similarities with the Panca-Tirthikus from west India displayed in the Los Angeles County Museum (U.S.A.),: Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, Central Archaeological Museum, Gwalior and one enshrined in Sagardighi, Murshidabad." But in comparison lo cich other the Bhagalpur Pancu-Tirihikus arc artistic from iconographic point of view as thcy contain all iconographic details. i Ghosh, A., Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. III, pl. 333. $ Sharma, B. X., Jaina Prurimaren (New Delhi-1979), p. 9. "Lalwani, Ganesh, Bhugavan Mohavir (C:lcult:-1974). pl. 13.