Mahavira Jayanti Smarika 1981

SR No.: 014033
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Gyanchand Biltiwala
Publisher: Rajasthan Jain Sabha Jaipur
Publication Year: 1981
Total Pages: 280
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 20 MB

Page 278

Date of construction of Jain Kirtistambha of Chittor
The tradition of constructing the Kirtistambhas was quite popular. The Ghatiyala Inscription of V. E. 918(861 A.D.) speaks of constuction of two Jain pillars one at Mandor and other at Rohinskupa. It is the earliest reference of having the Jain-stambhas built in Rajasthan. The Jain Kirtistambha of Chittor is an important piece of the Jain art. Col. Tod saw an inscription of V. E. 952 (895 A.D.) near the said pillar, containing the names of 24 Jineshvars, Surya, Ganesh, Navadurga etc. But we can hardly connect it with the above Kirtistambha.
The Jain Kirtistambh of Chittor is situated on a platform. Its height from the ground is 76 feet. It is 30 feet wide at its base while 15 feet at the top. There are several seated figures of the Tirthankaras. In the middle of the pillar, there is a big standing figure in Digamber pose of the Tirthankar in all its four sides. The scholars have given different dates between the 11th to 13th centuries about its construction. Their arguments are mainly based on the architectural data. I want to produce available epigraphical data, as below:
G.H. Ojha had collected a few pieces of the inscriptions, from the heaps of
Ram Vallabh Somani
stones lying at the food of Jain Kirtistambha Chittor. All these are now lying preserved in the Pratap museum Udaipur. Among these two fragmentary inscriptions pertain to the Jain Kirtistambha, a summary of which is given below :1. One inscription containing 8 lines, has a reference at its end that the Kirtistambh was contructed by Shresthi Bagherawal Jija, who was the son who of Naya.
2. Another piece of the inscription is also much damaged. It consists 12 verses of "Nirwan Kand" and at the end the name of Bagherawal Jija is available.
3. Besides these two fragmentary inscriptions stated above, a stone-slab containing verses 21 to 45, was lying incised on a square plateform near the temple of Nila-Kantha in Chittor. This has now been fully mitigated. But its copy, prepared at the time of writing the history "Vir-Vinod" by Kaviraja Shyamaldas is now available. I had published this inscription on the basis of the above text in "Anekanta" Delhi (April, 1969). It contains very valuable information about shresti Jija and his son Punya Singh together with their manifold reli
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