Jain Journal 1983 10

SR No.: 520072
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication
Publication Year: 1983
Total Pages: 35
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, India_Jain Journal, & India
File Size: 3 MB

Page 27

Jaina Sculptures From Anai-Jambad
PRATIP KUMAR MITRA
Anai-Jambad, or more popularly Mahadev-Beda, is a place situated under the Purulia (Mofussil) P. S. of the Purulia district of West Bengal. To approach the site one has to travel around ten kilometres from Purulia town along the Purulia-Hura Road to a point called Bhangra Mod (crossing) and then turn right and traverse another six or seven kilometres through unmetalled and bumpy track. Here, in this remote and desolate place Sri Sarak Jaina Samiti of Kharkhari, Dhanbad, has constructed a modern temple over the ruins of an ancient Jaina settlement, as a part of their commendable programme to preserve Jaina antiquities and monuments in Purulia. This temple houses five unique images of Tirthankaras. These images were allegedly discovered from the mounds in and around here, and as a result of long non-exposure are in a fairly good state of preservation. They are made of the usual variety of bluish/ greenish chlorite stone ubiquitous as medium of sculptures found from this region, but rendered blackish beyond recognition by regular application of ghee. The five Tirthankara images are placed on a high cemented platform and set up in a cemented wall. The images in order from left to right are :
1 Anai-Jambad is situated at 23 18° North (latitude) and 862° (longitude). Cf.
Suphal Mondal, Purulia Pariciti (in Bengali), Purulia, 1981, p. 59. 2 The place is also known as Paresnath or Paresnath Mahadev-Beda. : For alternative and shorter routes see, Subhas Mukhopadhyay, "Anai-Jambad
er Jaina Puraksetra" (in Bengali), Sraman, 4th year, and number, Calcutta, 1383 B.S., p. 43; Idem, "Puruliar Purakirti-12 : Anai-Jambad Mahadev-Beda" (in Bengali), Chatrak, 7th year, 1st number, Purulia, 1383 B.S., pp. 5-6. The author is informed that the Sri Sarak Jaina Samiti of Kharkhari, district Dhanbad, Bihar, has restored an old Jaina temple at village Bhangra on the Purulia-Hura Road which houses a fine caturmukha shrine, and also preserved three Jaina images at village Polma on the Purulia-Manbazar Road. During the author's second visit to Anai-Jambad in December, 1982, he noticed a further Jaina sculpture being added to the collection. This is an image of Pancatirthika variety having representations of four Jinas in kayotsarga besides
Rsabhanatha, the mula-nayaka. • Brief but excellent notices of these sculptures are provided by Mukhopadhyay
in his two articles, supra, but these are not accompanied by the photographs of
the images. ? Mukhopadhyay, Sraman, op. cit., p. 42. $ Except the image of Candraprabha described in the text infra.