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Sumati-Jñāna by well-dressed veneering stone. The average thickness of this wall is 1.8 m. with the extant height 1.66 m. from the base. The well dressed veneering stone were fixed on the exterior wall for strength as well. These veneering stones were fixed together with iron dowels.
From the above study, it is clear that Agra region was rich with Jaina art as evident from the surface findings and from the excavations at Bir Chhabili Tila, Fatehpur Sikri as well. At least, there were three major centers in the region i. e. Fatehpur Sikri, Kagaraul and Shauripur Bateshwar. Though Mathuara was a great centre of Jaina images during the Kushana period as evident from the Kankali Tila excavations, very few sculptures of Jaina faith of 10th-11th century AD are reported.21 The remains of temple reported as Jaina temple is based on the findings of the Jaina sculptures in large numbers from the site. As these fragmentary Jaina images are not found in situ fixed to any temple part some scholar may question the authenticity of assigning the temple remains to the Jaina sect. The other side of the logic is that if there was no Jaina temple at Bir Chhabili Tila site during 10th-11th century AD. what was the necessity in taking pains to bury or make Visarjan of these headless/ mutilated sculptures at this site by bringing those from other places. In the context mentioned above, there is no doubt that there was a Jaina temple at Bir Chhabili Tila site. Acknowledgements The author acknowledges his thanks to Archaeological Survey of India, Agra Circle for photographs used in the article.
REFERENCES 1. The History and Culture of the Indian People, Vol. I, p. 325. 2. IAR-1999-2000, p. 170-171. 3. IAR-1977-78, p. 82. 4. Amar Ujala (Hindi Daily), Agra, 26-01-2003. 5. IAR-1977-78, p. 82. 6. IAR-1980-81. p. 94. 7. IAR-1986-87, p. 123. 8. IAR-1980-18, p. 94. 9. IAR-1999-2000, p. 163. 10. D. V. Sharma A etal. 2001: Excavation at Bir Chhabili Tila, Purattava No. 31, pp. 55-73. 11. IAR-1999-2000, p. 163. 12. Ibid, pp. 166-67. 13. M. N. P. Tewari, 1981, Jaina Pratimavigyan, Varanasi. 14. Indian Archaeology-A Review, pp. 159-163. 15. Ibid, p. 166. 16. Ibid. 17. Ibid. 18. Ibid, pp. 163, 166. 19. Ibid, p. 163. 20. Ibid, p. 162-163.
21. Smith, V. A., ASI NIS, Vol. XX. The Jain Stupa and other antiquities of Mathura. Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
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