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Jaina Monun.ents of Orissa
lāñchana is not visible as covered with cement plaster. Two chauri bearers carved standing on separate lotus pedestals are found on either side of the Tirthankara against miniature shrines. The halo behind him is designed in eliptical shape with radiating flames on its outer edges. The torana behind the Tirthankara is supported by tapering pillars and a decorative horizontal bar. The hairs on the head of the Tirtharikara are arranged in curled knots with uşnisa in the centre. The trilinear umbrella over head is surmounted by the branches of the keva!a tree. Flying figures with garlands in hands and invisible heavenly figures (Gandharvas) beating drum and cymbals flank the figure at the top. Champak marks are noticed on either side of the umbrella. The image carved in chlorite stone is very well polished. It roughly measures some 45 c.m. in height. As the lañchanas is not traceable it is difficult to identify this figuie with any particular Tirthankara. However, the Jainas regard this image as Mahavira as understood from the temple priests. Just opposite to it on the right wall is kept a figure of Hanumāna (Mahavira) called by the name "flying Mahāvira" and revered in great esteem by the devotees.
CUTTACK DISTRICT
Like Buddhism, Jaina religion has not established any strong base in Cuttack district for which we do not find concentration of Jaina relics at a particular place. The number of images reported from different parts of the district, however are in no way less than their findings else where. In the early medieval period Buddhist centres like Lalitagiri, Udayagiri and Ratanagiri, had dominated the scene and Jainism seems to have receded to the rural areas, a fact which can be evident from their findings in Baramba, Narasinghpur, Tigiria, Chauduar, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, the Prāchi Valley and Banki areas of the district. There are many Saraka villages in this district and the people living in them practice Jaina customs and traditions in their normal life. In recent years Cuttack town witnessed several Jaina shrines built by the Marwari communities. They preserve in them not only a series of marble and bronze idols of recent make but also several Tirthankara images, chaumuk has, and slabs depicting Ganadharas and Purvadharas of the ancient period. They are all evidently collected from the places rich with Jaina antiquities in Orissa. The people of the Marwari community visit Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves on festive occasions and look after the management of the Jaina temple on the crest of Khandagiri hill. The Jaina establishments at Udayagiri and Khandagiri of Puri district and Padasingidi of Keonjhar district no doubt predominently influenced the Jaina adherents of Cuttack district.
The Jaina temple of Choudhuri Bazar of Cuttack (Fig. 68) town is built in the rekha style with a pidha Jagamohana in front by the Parawar families of Cuttack who are responsible for the revival of Jaina religion in Orissa. Within niches of the Jagamohana and on the central pedestal of the main temple numerous stone images of Rşabhanātha, Santinātha, Padmaprabha, Ajitanātha, Mahāvīra, Pārsvanātha along with Chaumukhas and slabs depicting Jaina adherents are kept. L.N. Sahul has reported some seven items from the entire collection.
16.
L.N. Sahu, Odisare Jainadharma (Oriya) pp. 155-57 (with plates).
