Jaina Bronzes the Patna Museum

Author(s): Harikishor Prasad
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

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JAINA BRONZES IN THE PATNA MUSEUM : 283
(16) P. M. Arch. No. 6551.
Image of Candraprabha, seated in Vajraparyanka attitude with Dhyanamudră on a double-sided rectangular pedestal; läñchana, the "crescent" on top of beaded halo (Śirascakra) at the back of his head; Makara heads on either side of throne at his back, locks of hair falling on his shoulders, Śrivatsa on chest, wearing elongated ear-rings, corroded. Height : 84". (17) P. M. Arch. No. 6552.
Image of Candraprabha recognised as such by his particular lañchana, the “crescent” on top of beaded halo (Sirascakra) at the back of his head; seated in Vajraparyanka attitude with Dhyānamudrā on a double-sided rectangular pedestal, Makara heads on either side of the throne at his back, locks of hair falling down on his shoulders, hair on head arranged in parallel rows with a knot at the top. Srivatsa on chest, wearing elongated ear-rings. Corroded and damaged. Height : 77". Patna Museum Catalogue, pl. XIX. (18) P.M. Arch. No. 6555.
Image of a Tirthankara, seated in Vajraparyanka attitude with Dhyanamudrā on a double-sided rectangular pedestal, halo (Širaścakra) at the back of his head, wearing elongated ear-rings; features and contours of body very much blurred, corroded. Height : 53".
B. THE ALUARA JAINA BRONZES In March 1947, a hoard of twentynine Jaina bronzes was discovered from a field at Aluārāle in District Manbhum. Twentyseven of them were images of Jaina Tirthankaras, one of them was an
14 Village Aluārā (also known as Machuātānd Aluārā) in P. S.
Chandankiyri District Manbhum is situated near the BengalNagpur Railway line running between Mohoda and Tegaria Railway Stations. On 16-3-47 these bronzes were discovered accidentally, while digging earth for preparing clay for building purposes.
Manbhum was once a great centre of Jainism. There are quite a large number of Jaina antiquities scattered all over the district of Manbhum. At Balrampur village, about four miles from Purulia, the district headquarter of Manbhum, there is a Jaina temple in which are kept very old Jaina images. Very near to village Boram, towards the south about a mile away, there is a Jaina shrine where there are naked Jaina images. At Kumhri & Kumardaga (the two