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Jainism in Mathurā
history and state of Jainism in Mathurā from the second century BC to the eleventh century AD.
The Kankāli Tīlā, occasionally called Jaini Tīlā, 19 stands between the Bhūteśvara crossing and B.S.A. College in the south-west part of Mathurā. This mound has derived its present name from a small modern temple dedicated to a Hindu goddess called Kankālī Devī,20 who is a form of goddess Durgā.” This mound is nearly rectangular in shape; it is approximately 500 feet long and 350 feet wide.22 But Cunningham gave its dimensions as 400 feet long and 300 feet wide.23
General A. Cunningham, the first Director-General of Archaeological Survey of India, 24 excavated the western end of Kankāli Tīlā in March and November in 1871.2 He conducted excavations at this mound in 1881-2 and 1882-3 also. Harding, a predecessor of F.S. Growse as Magistrate of Mathurā, also made some excavations at Kankālī Tīlā.27 F.S. Growse, who worked as Magistrate and later as Collector of Mathurā district,28 conducted excavation on the northern portion of this mound in 1875.29 James Burgess and A. Fuhrer of the Archaeological Survey of India, 3o conducted excavations at the eastern
19. JS, Introduction, p. 1; MI, p. 40; MDM, p. 116. 20. Ibid.; ibid.; ibid., p. 117. 21. GD, p. 128. 22. JS, Introduction, p. 1. 23. ASIAR, III, p. 19; MI, p. 39; JS, Introduction, p. 1.
F.R. Allchin, The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia: The Emergence of Cities and States, 1995, p. 5.
ASIAR, III, pp. 13ff; JS, Introduction, p. 1. 26. Ibid., XVII, p. 111; ASIAR, XX, plates III and IV; JS, Introduction, p. 2.
JS, Introduction, p. 1; MI, p. 39. 28. Pamphlet of Government Museum, Mathurā. F.S. Growse founded the museum which
is now called Government Museum, Mathurā. 29. JS, Introduction, p. 1. 30. DJI, Introduction; MI, p. 41; MCH, p. 108.
