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Two Jaina Sculptures from
Bhairavasinghapur
UMAKANTA SUBUDDHI
Two Jaina sculptures, a seated image of Lord Rsabhanatha and a Caturviņšatipatta relief of Rsabhanatha, are noticed by the present author in Bhairavasinghapur village, situated about nine kilometres to the north-east of the tahsil town of Borigumma in the Jeypore sub-division of Koraput district. Of them, the Rsabhanatha image (Fig. 1) is enshrined inside a thatched mud house of the village and is worshipped as Siva by the local people, while the Caturvimsatipatta relief of the Lord (Fig. 2) is found embedded on the outer wall of a similar house, enshrining a tutelary goddess called Banadurga, somewhat away from the village on the slope of a mountain. Both the sculptures bear some minor scratches here and there on the body, apparently for having received a rough handling on their way to the present sites. While the Rsabhanatha image is in a fairly good state of preservation, the Caturvimsatipatta relief is a little weathered for having been exposed to nature.
The Rsabhanatha image measures 95 X 55 cm. and resembles similar images from the nearby villages of Kamta and Charamula now exhibited in the District Museum, Jeypore.(1) In the image, Lord Rsabhanatha is found seated on a lion throne in paryankāsana with hands laid in yogamudrā or meditative posture. The frivatsa symbol, usually found on the chest of the Tirthankara images, is invisibly seen on the chest of the Lord. The face, looking sublime with spiritual glow, has elongated ears and a jațāmukuta, arranged beautifully in three parts and falling on his shoulders. The stele of the image has an oval-shaped lotus hal8 (prabhāmandala) adorned with floral designs and bead laces. A trilinear umbrella is seen above the head of the Lord and is surmounted by a heavenly drum, being played by a drummer whose head and hands are visible. The leaves of the Nyagrodha tree of perfect knowledge are seen covering the crest of the umbrella. Flying Vidyadharas and Kinnaris holding garlands are found on either side of the umbrella and above them are seen, at the top, two elephants holding flower bouquet in their trunks and two makaras holding pearls between their jaws. Bharata and Bahuvali, the cauri-bearers of the Lord, are found standing on either side with their right hands holding cauris and left hands resting on their hips. The Lords's
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