Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras

SR No.: 001583
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Umakant P Shah, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 274
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Art
File Size: 19 MB

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Treasures of Jaina Bhandaras
Navsari, a branch of the Chalukyas of Badami. Prior to this, the area was for sometime under the Kațaccuris and later under the Sendrakas.
From some more bronzes in the L. D. Institute, one more is illustrated here in fig. 185. Pārsvanātha here sits on a big lotus with a thick, long stalk, attended by a two-armed yaksa and the two-armed yaksi Ambikā. The bronze is rather worn out due to long worship. It dates from c. ninth century A. D.
A loose brass or bronze Caitya-tree was discovered in the Chausa hoard now in the Patna museum. It dates from the Kuşāņa period. 121 A Caitya-tree associated with Adinātha is worshipped at Śatruñjaya, but this is a real tree. Separate worship of Caitya-trees in stone or bronze is otherwise not known from Jaina shrines. However, an interesting rare example of a big Asoka-tree of brass or bronze, is preserved at Jesalmer in Rajasthan (fig. 177). This is placed on top of a big Caumukha shrine.
A very rare example of a conch with figures of Tirtharikara Mahāvira and his eleven ganadharas engraved, on its surface, each under a separate shrine symbolised by a niche with a trefoil-shaped arch above, is illustrated in figures 171-172. This unique find is preserved in the L. D. Institute, Ahmedabad, as a gift from the late Sri Acalmalji Modi of Sirohi. Sri Modi had told me personally that it was found by a farmer from a field in a village about 16 miles from Sirohi. The rest of the surface of this conch is filled up by lotus-leaf, creeper and other decorative motifs. The carving of figures of Ganadharas etc. appears crude but the decorative motifs suggest a date not later than c. 14th-15th century A. D.
A very late Caumukha carved out of wood in c. 19th century is illustrated in fig. 169. It is in the collections of the L. D. Institute, Ahmedabad. Four seated Jina figures of a bigger size are facing four directions in the shrine on top while on the lower portion are carved several small figures of Tirtharkaras on four sides numbering 10+18+30+4. All told there are 66 figures of Tirtharkaras in this wooden sculpture
121 Patna Museum Catalogue of Antiquities (Patna, 1967), pp. 116-117; pls. XVIII-XVI; H. K. Prasad, Jain Bronzes in the Patna Museum, Mahavira Jaina Vidyalaya Golden Jubilee Volume, Part I (Bombay, 1968), pp. 282-ff. Aspects of Jaina Art and Architecture, paper 26, fig. 4
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