Jaina Monuments of Andhra

SR No.: 006566
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: G Jawaharlal
Publisher: Sharada Publishing House Delhi
Publication Year: 2002
Total Pages: 200
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 59

Jaina Caves
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(Fig-17). On close observation, it appears that the Jain establishment at Ramatirtham began first on Gurubhakta hill and spread to the Durgammakonda afterwards. In the reports of Archaeological Survey of India,23 the cave which contained Jain image was wrongly named as Durgapancha cave, instead of as Jain cave (Fig-18). Just near to the Jain image, a Devi image was also carved. Mistaking it as Durga, they might have called it as Durga pancha cave. Actually, the Devi sculpture was Sasanadevi of the Jain pantheon24 and not Durga as hitherto believed (Fig-19).
Ugraditya wrote his Kalyanakaraka for the good of mankind on the beautiful hill of Ramagiri and he also studied science under his guru Sri Nandin whose feet were worshipped by Vishnuraja Parameshvara. Further, Ramagiri is said to have been situated in the level plains of Vengi in the country of Trikalinga. This Ramagiri has been rightly identified by J.P. Jain25 with modern Ramatirtham and Vishnuraja Parameshvara with Vishnuvardhana IV (A.D. 762-799). It is equally interesting to learn from an inscription engraved on the wall of the Durgapancha cave (Fig-20) that Vimaladitya's (A.D. 1011-1022) religious guru Trikalayogi Siddhantadeva of Desi gana paid homage to Ramakonda with great devotion.26 Thus it appears that Ramatirtham was a potential Jain centre since early times and continued as a holy pilgrim centre until 12th century A.D. Further I identified the Devi sculpture as Siddhayaki, sasanadevi of the 24th Tirthankara (i.e. Mahavira) and the Jain image, engraved in standing stiff pose, was Mahavira.27 The three lions are found carved below the seat which is found in the upper cell at Durgapancha Cave.28 The lion symbol was the lanchana of Mahavira. Thus it becomes clear that the Devi image found in Durgapancha cave was a Sasanadevi of Mahavira i.e., Siddhayiki and the Jain image carved on the wall, was Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara.
Kollivalasa
Another cave-shrine can be seen at Kollivalasa village, 8 kms., away from Amadalavalasa town in Srikakulam district. The hill, which contains a cave-shrine, is popularly known as Sangamayya-konda (i.e.,