Jain Journal 1977 07

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

Page 40

JAIN JOURNAL
replica of the temples now-lost or disfigured. This miniature temple has in its four sides four standing Tirthankaras along with their lāñchanas on the pedestal.4 The other votive caitya smaller in size represents a pidha deula, sculptured on its four sides Tirthankara each with its own symbol. Over each Tirthankara there is a duck or goose holding a garland. This particular votive caitya deserves special attention as we have not yet come across a votive caitya or a temple of this pattern anywhere else in the district of Purulia. May be that once this type of temples has flourished in this area, but were subsequently lost. David McCutchion in his note also refers to a curious small image of a four-armed deity, apparently holding a goad and noose, seated on a dog, which has since disappeared. This was evidently Padmavati, a snake-deity and the most popular Yaksi next to Ambika. In front of the southern stone temple No. 1, there is an image (broken up to the knee) seated cross-legged i.e. in lalitāsana or dhyāna-mudrā posture on a two-foiled lotus. As the pedestal is buried underground the image could not be identified.
In the south-eastern corner of the Kal Bhairava' and on the outskirts of Thakurthan village, in an open-roof wall enclosure there are five images of standing Tirthankaras—one of Parsvanatha, three of Rsabhanatha and one of Santinatha. The image of Parsvanatha is broken off at the waist with entwined näga and nāginī between two lions at the base, and two bejewelled attendants in ābhanga posture with fly-whisks in their hands. The image of Santinatha has among other usual Jaina iconographic motifs, eight female figures, four in each vertical row, all seated and having weapons and other instruments in their hands. They are most probably images of Vidyadevis or goddesses of knowledge.
Some fifty yards south of this enclosure, at the entrance of the village and under the foot of a Pippal tree there is a votive caitya among numerous sculptural fragments. This votive caitya with seated Tirthankaras on all its four sides is also in the form of a pidha deula; it has two pidhas whereas its counterpart as discussed above has three; over each Tirthankara is represented two ducks holding a garland. David McCutchion noticed here another image of Rsabhanatha which is no longer found out; and a tiny image of the Yaksa Kuvera, as informed by McCutchion, has been removed to the Museum of the Archaeological Directorate.
4 One more such votive caitya was noticed by David McCutchion in the shed
which is no longer found out.