Jain Journal 1997 10

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

Page 29

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JAIN JOURNAL : Vol-XXXII, No. 2 October 1997
Natai in Midnapur and ascriable to c. 9th cent. A.D. (also preserved in the State Arch. Gallery) are very interesting and unique of their kind. As inscribed image of Rsabhanātha, belonging to 10th cent. 11th cent A.D., refers to the gift of a certain lay Jaina worshipper (Shrāvaka) has recently been collected from the district of Purulia.
The Tirthankara images, as found in Bengal, are mostly in the *Kāyotsarga' pose, and they generally belong to 10th-11th cent. A.D. Some 12th century-Jaina images have also been found here. In the *Nahar collections' there is Jaina image, which is dated in the 15th century A.D. While some of these images are still to be found in Jaina centres in West Bengal, others are now being preserved in the Galleries of the Indian Museum, Varendra Res. Soc. Mus.. Vangiya Sahitya Parisat Museum, Archaeological Directorate of West Bengal and the Asutosh Museum. Besides Museums, there are some Private collections in West Bengal which are rich in Jaina antiquities.
For the Jaina images preserved in the State Archaeological Gallery of West Bengal readers are requested to go through the scholarly and informative article, written by my colleague Sri D.K. Chakraverty, M.A., and published in Souvenir on the 'Mahavira Jayanti 1965, pp. 27-33.
Select Bibliography 1. Ayaranga Sutta (S.B.E. Ser., Vol. 22), ed. H. Jacobi. 2. Bagchi, P.C. 'Vangadeser Jaina Dharmer Praramoha', V.S.P.P., 1346 B.S.
(in Bengali). 3. Bandyopadhyay, A.K. Bankurar Mandir (in Bengali) 1964. 4. Banerji, R.D.: Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture (Mem, A.S.I.)
1933. 5. Chakraverty, D.K. : A Survey of Jaina Antiquarian Remains in West
Bengal' in the Souvenir on the 'Mahavira Jayanti 1965'. Dasgupta, P.C. : Archaeological Discoveries in West Bengal - Bulletin of
the Direct. Arch. West Bengal, No. 1. 7. Ganguly, K.K. : 'Jaina Images in Bengal', I.C., Vol. 6, 1939. 8. ""*Jaina Art in Bengal-Souvenir, "Mahavira Jayanti Week'. 1964. 9. Ghosh, D.P. 'Trace of Jainism in Bengal', Mahavira Jayanti Souv., 1965. 10. Jain, C.L. - Jaina Bibliography. 1945. 11. Majumdar, R.C. History of Bengal, Vol. I. (ed), Dacca University, 1943. 12. Manbhum, District Gazetter, 1908. 13. Mitra, D.: 'Some Jaina Antiquities from Bankura, West Bengal' in Jour.
As. Soc., Vol. XXII, 1958 No. 2. 14. Nahar, P.C. : Jaina Inscriptions. 15. Sen, B.C. Some Historical Aspects of the Inscriptions of Bengal, 1942.