Jain Journal 1984 04

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

Page 32

144
Candragupta was born at Devikot, also known as Kotivarsa, identified with modern Bangarh in West Dinajpur district. Although these traditions link up our association with Jainism since the time of Mahavira down to the time of the Mauryas, yet there are no sufficient archaeological relics belonging to this period which can corroborate such traditions about the existence of Jainism in West Bengal. It is plausible that like all other schools of religious art, Jainism as practised in those days did not involve the worship of images at the very beginning of its art history, but from the observance of some symbols carved on the tympanum of the Udayagiri Caves in Orissa and Ayagapatas from Mathura it is evident that the worship of symbols like the Buddhists was the contemporary religious practice among the masses. It is however not improbable that some of the symbols on the silver-punch-marked coins which gained wide currency throughout India during the time of the Mauryas have definitely got some religious association and the symbols like svastika and its variants and the yugmamina (a pair of fish) stuck on the silver punchmarked coins from Lohapur in Birbhum district, West Bengal, and other parts of India are perhaps to be connected with the Jaina aştamangalas (eight auspicious signs).
JAIN JOURNAL
Barring a solitary epigraphic record of the Gupta period from Paharpur now in Rajshahi district, East Bengal, revealing about the existence of a Jaina establishment where a figure of a Jina was installed, archaeological evidence remains scanty and rather rare to prove about the existence of Jainism in this part of India. Such was the state of affairs in the country, until we come to the reign of the Palas. Under the benign patronage of the Pala rulers and specially during the ninth-tenth centuries A.D. there began a feverish activity in temple building with the desire of decorating these shrines with innumerable sculptures and decorative friezes symbolising different cult icons and other sculptural representations of various divinities associated with different religious order, and it has been observed from our survey that most of Jaina relics appertain to this period.
The explorations and survey of antiquarian remains conducted by the Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal, in the districts of Purulia, Bankura and Midnapur have brought to light many sculptural representations of the Tirthankaras being associated with the various pārsvadevatās and attending figures, a few caturmukha or caumukha miniature votive shrines, images of the sasanadevis, sometimes associated with their respective male yakṣa counterparts. It is a pity and a matter of regret for us that most of the sculptural pieces and architectural fragments associated with Jaina religious order are now lying in a neglected condition and