Jain Journal 1984 04

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

Page 35

APRIL, 1984
jealously guarded and venerated by the un-sophisticated villagers as cult divinities of the Brahmanical faith, sometimes identified by them with the image of the Buddha. The dilapidated shrines, but yet modest in appearance, noticed at such places like Deoli, Pakbirra, Sanka and Senara in Purulia district or at Paresnath, Ambikanagar, Kendua, Barkola, Harmashra and Bahulara in Bankura district and the ruins at Rajpara in Midnapur district speak about the modest and sincere attempts made by the temple builders of Bengal. The elegant brick temples, one at Bahulara in Bankura district not far away from Onda Railway Station and the other at Satdeulia near Memari Railway Station in Burdwan district, are perhaps the two earliest Jaina temples now standing within this State. With their lofty śikhara carved with ornamental bricks these temples present a pleasing appearance amidst the rural surroundings, and it can be surmised that there were many more of such Jaina temples located in the western part of our State, which were later on converted to Saiva or Sakta shrines or deserted altogether.
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Let us now recount some of the archaeological objects or relics noticed or discovered by us during our exploratory activities and for a matter of convenience we may begin our itinerary from the western part of Midnapur district to further beyond westwards upto the present territorial limit of West Bengal.
Situated in an interior village of Jhargram subdivision of Midnapur district at Rajpara under Belpahari Development Block, two Jaina Tirthankaras were first noticed by the Directorate of Archaeology which were lying in a neglected state of preservation and were being worshipped as the 'Buddha' and 'Ananta'. The much abraded and weather beaten representation of the Tirthankara Santinatha with his usual lāñchana, antelope, and flanked by the cauri-bearers and aṣṭagrahadevatas reveals a specimen which can be attributed to circa 10th century A.D. on stylistic ground. This has since been collected for display in the State Archaeological Gallery, West Bengal. The other mutilated specimen which is still lying at the site personifies the Tirthankara Parsvanatha standing in käyotsarga pose having a canopy of a seven-hooded serpent over his head.
If we travel northwards towards Bankura by following up the courses of the Kangsavati, the Silavati and the Darakeswar we come across with numerous Jaina religious settlements concentrated upon in some villages situated within Ranibandh, Khatra, Taldangra Police Stations and also at such places like Bahulara and Dharapat situated near Vishnupur; all falling within the district of Bankura. From Ranibandh itself we have collected a medium sized sculptural representation possibly of the