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INTRODUCTION TO JAINISM
million years as a maximum. No doubt it will take some time before everyone agrees on this subject. But it can hardly be doubted that some rock art is much older than the seals found at Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, which archeologists estimate to be 7,000 years old. In any case, these are artistic masterpieces as well, and perhaps they were used as easily transportable souvenirs of what the South Indian rocks must have showi: in enormous dimensions. All these writings and the Indus Ke;' represent the initial stage of rock art.
The second stage
Gradually it seems, one started trying better methods on and in the rocks to produce art and preserve it for the future. What is shown on the rocks was later also produced in brass. During In those days the rocks at Vindhyagiri must have been lying in a somewhat different position than they do today, perhaps due to earthquakes or erosion, because it appears that pilgrims originally took a different route to the top. The second phase in the development of art produced images showing a more prominent relief because the rock around the carving was chipped away and the Jinas became more prominent. Apparently the enormous boulders among which the inhabitants found shelter were found the most suitable for durable art. That is why, it seems, the same boulder on Vindhya Hill was used to apply this technique to make the icons clearer.
The two brothers
An ever recurring theme in Jain iconography is that of the two brothers. They lived in the period of the 20h Tīrthamkara, Munisuvrata. Their names were Kul-Bhushan and DeshBhushan. They were the only two children in the family. When seven and eight, these princely brothers were taken to an ashram for education. They stayed there until they were twenty-five. During this time they had no contact with their
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