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Survey of Jaina Monuments of Orissa
89
whisks in hands and on elephant back appear on the top of the slab. Head of one of the two Gandharvas are missing. It measures 0.65m x 0.35m x 0.14m in all.
At Chauduar, a small shrine built by the mother of late L.N. Sahu, the author of the book in Oriya "Odisāre Jainadharma" contained a number of Tirthankara figures of which, Rşabhanātha appears to be prominent. She converted this figure to that of Siva by providing a tiger skin as under garment and a snake hood. She was an admirer of Siva worship and wherever she found naked Tirthańkara images she tried to collect for her worship. The figure of Rsabha in question stands on a lotus pedestal flanked by chauri bearers on either sides. His lañchana, the bull is visible below the pedestal. His hairs on the head are arranged in jată a few strands of which fall on the shoulders. Other attributes like kevala trec, umbrella, flying figures and cymbals played in hands are depicted in proper places.
One seated Tirthankara figure is reported by Chakradhar Mohapatra to have been kept in the premises of the Rupanatha temple near Banesvaranasi of Narasinghpur area of Cuttack district. Lower part of the figure is badly damaged. It displays astagrahas, flying figures with garlands, kevala tree, trilinear umbrella and a trefoiled decorative arch. Hairs on its heads are arranged in curled knots. The chauri bearers are conspicuous in their absence. L.N. Sahu18 considers it to be the figure of Padmaprabha probably in view of the marking of a full lotus flower at the top left side of the Tirthankara.
A small figure of Padmaprabha was recovered from the tank at village Hatamala in Tigiria block of Cuttack district, during the time of its renovation, some time in 1972. It was subsequently brought to the Orissa State Museum for preservation. The slab depicting the figure is damaged into two pieces. Though small in size it displays all the features of the Tirthankara. It measures 18.5cm X 9.5cm x 5cm and shows excellent polish. This figure of Padmaprabha is carved standing in kāyotsarga pose on a lotus pedestal supported by lions. Its lañchana, the lotus is found depicted below the pedestal. The two chauri bearers stand on the sides. Kevala tree, trilinear umbrella, decorated halo, mark of champak flowers and drumis played in hands are all envisaged in a reduced scale. A torāna surmounted by lions is carved behind the figure. These discoveries of Jaina relics in Tigiria and Narasimhapur areas strongly support the religious affinity of the Sarāka settlers in the neighbourhood.
I have noticed two Jaina Tirthankara images kept in the Baramba palace some 12 years back. One of them was a figure of Rşabhanātha seated in yogasana pose with the conventional chauri bearers and the astagrahas. These two figures are, however, could not be traced in my subsequent visit. It is understood from the palace authorities that they were taken away by an antique dealer of Benaras. The ex-ruler informed me that he had collected them from his own estate.
K.C. Panigrahi19 reports three Jaina Tirthankara images, two of which are preserved in village Narasimhapur, near Jajpur and one kept in the premises of the
18. 19.
L N. Sahu, Odisāre Jainodharma (Oriya), p. 222. K.C. Panigrahi, Itihäsa O' Kimbadanti, (Oriya), Plates 9, 10 and 11.
