Jain Journal 1977 07

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 30

JAIN JOURNAL
similarity with the bāda of the now-ruined stone temple of Budhpur, a few miles south of Pakbirra, and are basically not far away from the temples at Telkupi (Raghunathpur P.S., Purulia; on the bank of Damodar). The triangular entrances (5' high) built of overlapping stones are like those in Deulghat (Jaipur P.S., Purulia) but while the doorways of Deulghat temples are wide and lofty, these are much too narrow. One is just to crawl to enter into the sanctum. The gandi portions which start after a small recess above the baranda are now nothing more than a heap of disarranged stones. No clear-cut idea can be formed about them.
The garbhagsha is 5' square. Internal walls after a certain height are corbelled upto the ceiling. Above the ceiling the pyramidal tower is hollow like the stone temple at Chharra (6 miles north-east of Purulia). These single-cell temples of Pakbirra might have at some later period mandapas (jagamohana or mukha-mandira) added to them, but are all destroyed leaving only traces of one or two pillars here and there.
The fragments of large āmalakas and heavy stone kalasas ornamented with lotus petals and hanging mango leaves on the fringe of the neck indicate that the temples belonged to the usual Nāgara style. In setting up stones no mortar was used; they were set together by iron hooks. All the temples of Pakbirra originally stood on a pavement either of brick or stone which may be presumed from the high level of the temple site and arranging of bricks and stones on the ground; the pavement might have been 300' to 350' square as approximated by Mr. Beglar.
A large number of images found in the remains have been collected and dumped in a roofless shed which occupies as stated by Mr. Beglar the site of the largest temple containing the full complement of preliminary chambers and hall in front of the sanctum. The principal object of attention in the shed is a colossal naked figure 73' high, evidently representing a Jaina Tirthankara. The figure (Pic. No. 2) carved in black stone stands in kāyotsarga posture and has a crack diagonally across the thighs and feet. The full-bloom lotus on which the image stands is too small in comparison to the large size of the deity, and this looks somewhat odd. However, the pointed nose, closely-tight lips expressing a negative attitude to mundane affairs, long large closed eyes, bow-like eyebrows, long ears, curling hair with a knot at the centre, broad shoulders, and above all, the transcendental calmness in the face at once draw the attention of the spectator. The surface of the figure was richly polished and this gave the sculpture a supple grace and plasticity which aptly commensurate with the living emblem of ahimsā.