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district Purulia, broadly divided this large temple complex into two stylistic groups. She found an early group of temples which flourished during the 9th and 10th centuries and a later phase of temples which appeared not earlier than 12th century A.D. being the development of same architectural tradition. This parallel architectural tradition has also been traced by Dr. Mitra in several other centres in the district of Purulia. She witnessed the same architectural movement in Banda and Budhpur. In this context she affixed a later phase for the standing Pakbirra temples which may thus be placed around 12th century A.D.21 The corbelled door openings of the Pakbirra temples have also been adopted in the brick temples of Sat Deuliya (Burdwan district), Deulghat (Purulia district), dated post-10th century A.D.22 It may be presumed that the architectural tradition of the Pakbirra complex was also spread over several centuries which had developed along with the other centres of the same region. And as a centre of Jainism, the Jain art and culture also flourished there during all this period. Besides this corbelled door openings, which is not
d in the Telkupi temples, the presence of miniature pidhã deuls representing the Jain caturmukha shrine are also found in the Pakbirra temple site (Plate Nos. 13, 25, 26). This may suggest existence of pidhā deul at this site and, therefore, related to the architectural tradition of Orissa.
Jainism had spread from Bihar to Kalinga through Manbhum and Singhbhum 23 and it is not surprising that we find relics of Jainism in these areas. There was also active trade and commerce and pilgrims passage between Kalinga and Magadha including this region.24 The early reference to the zone of influence of Jainism that may help in drawing the cultural outline of the area is that of Kharavela's Hathigumpha inscription25 where there is a reference of Gorathagiri (Barabar hills in Gaya), Rajagrha, and the Gangetic plains of Pataliputra. This indicates that the routes from Kalinga to Magadha passed through this region.26 Barring vague and stray references and isolated surmises there are little to put
21 Ibid., p. 56. 22 Cf., A. Ghosh (edited), Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol. I, New Delhi, 1974, pl. 82 B. 23 P. C. Roy Choudhury, "Jainism in Manbhum", Jain Journal, Vol. XVIII, No. 4,
April, 1984, p. 152; Idem., "Jainism in Bihar", Jain Journal, Vol. III, No. 4, Calcutta,
April, 1969, pp. 152, 155-156. 24 Beglar, op. cit., pp. 48-51. 25 D. C. Sircar, Select Inscriptions bearing on Indian History and Civilization, Vol. I,
Calcutta, 1965., pp. 213. 26 B. M. Barua, "Kharavela as King and Builder", Journal of the Indian Society of
Oriental Art, Vol. XV, Calcutta, 1947, pp. 46-51.
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