Jain Journal 2007 07

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

Page 20

R.N.Kumaran&M.Saranya Kumaran:Bahubalinof South Indiaaand West India
21
body was covered with creepers and anthills and joined by the figures of the two Vidyadharis, wearing decorated mukutas and other ornaments and holding the ends of the entwining creepers.
The Sculptures of the Jaina pantheon, which are very rich, can be divided into 8 broad categories, in which the first category includes the sculptures of the Jinas to whom the temples were dedicated Although Bahubalin was not a Tirthankara, the Digambaras claim that he was the first individual to attain Siddhahood in the present Yuga. Not only that, they further claim that he attains Nirvana in Kayotsaraga posture like the first 21 Tirthankaras, whereas the remaining 3 attained nirvana in Dhyana mudra posture. It is due to his raise in rank, he became one of the Mula nayaka of the Jain temples.
Bahubalin of South India :
The Gommatesvara or Bahubalin statue at Sravanabelgola was the tallest known example and marvelous composition in Indian sculpture and it is larger than any known Egyptian statues. The development of the same can be clearly traced in Tirumalai, Siyamangalam, Chittamur etc, in Tamil Nadu. I.K. Sharma opines that the penetration was not from Sravanabelgola centre, because in Kannada country till date neither a single rock-cut Jaina cavern attributable to pre-Christian era was not reported nor any Jaina vestiges have been known prior to the fifth cent. AD.
The earliest wave of Ganga period Jainism which reached Kongu country through Dist. Vellore can be traced from a record from Tirunathakunru, Village Singavaram (Gingee Taluk) which states the Samadhimarana of Acharya Chandranandi after fasting 57 days (S.I.I. XVI. 262). He belongs to Mulasangha, Desigana, Kundakundanvaya lineage and a senior contemporary of Avinita. The second wave was from Sravanabelgola centre, which reached the Pallava kingdom under Visakhachary and virtually engulfed the north and western parts of Tamil Nadu, beginning from the times of Simhavishnu Pallava. The Yapaniyas (an Orthodox Sect) had the appearance of Digambaras but followed the ceremonial ordinances