________________
136
JAIN JOURNAL
This short historical background of the area would suggest that this area has, from the early mediaeval period, enjoyed a relatively greater freedom from any central authority. Being on the fringe of any administrative unit it had probably not to conform to the obligation of the ruling authority. Neither it had to face the political disturbances and the onslaught of the political upheaval. At the same time royal patronage and direct cultural contact has a lesser chance to mould the independant growth save and except the broader cultural influence from adjoining centres. This is also apparent in the material used and the lack of epigraphical records of this area. The stone used is the chlorite schist and there is not a single specimen of foreign origin found in this site. The zone of Jain influence correlated to this area has been variously described by the scholars. R. D. Banerjee states “the temples of these styles begin really from Barakar and Dhanbad and end in the jungle tracts of the Rewa state and the Orissa feudatory states.”36 In connection with Jain sculptures of this area R. D. Banerjee again specifies the position of Jain zone of influence in Bengal. The Jain zone of influence appears to have extended from the south bank of the Ganges and the western bank of the Bhagirathi right upto the northern frontier of the jungle country. He had also mentioned the stylistic affinity of the sculptures of the jungle tract with the Orissan type. According to him they belong to the same denomination.37 As regards the name 'Manbhum applied to this area we may allude to the reference to Jain Harivaņģa of Jinasena II.38 In chapter II of the work, the whole country has been divided into seven different parts as Central, Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western and Vindhyan regions. The eastern region is formed of twelve peoples such as Khadga, Angāraka, Paundra, Malla, Pravaka, Mastaka, Pradyotişa (Prāgjyotisa), Vanga, Magadha, Mānovartika, Malada, Bhargava.39 This Mānovartika is perhaps, the Sanskritised form of Manbhum.40 If this be so, then as a Jain centre, Manbhum is referred in the late eighth century A.D., the date of Harivaṁsa being 738 A.D. And it is atleast from the eighth century onwards that the Jain religion and cultural activities in Manbhum has taken a firm root.
36 R. D. Banerjee, Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture, Archaeological
Survey of India, New Imperial Series, Vol. XLVIII, Delhi, 1933, p. 144. 37 Ibid., p. 145. 38 Asim Kumar Chatterjee, "The Jain Harivamsa”, Religion and Culture of the Jains
(edited by D. C. Sircar), Calcutta, 1973, pp. 100-117. 39 Ibid., p. 107. 10 It has also been suggested that modern Manbhum in Santhal Parganas was named
after the Manas of Orissa. Cf., R. C. Majumder and Kalyan Kumar Dasgupta (edited), Comprehensive History of India, Vol. III, pt. I, Calcutta, 1981, pp. 216-17; R. C. Majumder (edited), The Classical Age, Bombay, 1954, p. 94, note 1.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
