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A Jina Image from Chandraketugarh
GOURISANKAR DE
Both the literary and archaeological evidences indicate that Bengal had an early association with Jainism. Jainism flourished in Bengal long before the Christian era and continued, in its full form, at least upto the 7th Century A.D. Yet, "the predominance of Jainism at one time in Bengal” is hardly in keeping with the very small number of images found representing that religion. Hence, any and every discovery of Jaina relics from this province deserves attention of archaeologists, historians, art-lovers and lay men alike. In this connection the torso of a Tirthankara found in the ruins of Chandraketugarh, a wellknown archaeological site of West Bengal, deserves special mention. The oldest figure of the Buddha of Bengal was found here.3 Probably, the image referred to here, is the oldest figure of Jina in this State.
1 K. K. Ganguli, 'Jaina Art of Bengal', Exhibition of Jaina Art Souvenir, Bharat
Jain Mahamandal, Calcutta, 1964. 2 R. C. Mazumdar, History of Bengal, University of Dacca, Dacca, pp. 464, 558. 3 D. P. Ghosh, Studies in Museology in India, p. 46.
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