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Survey of Jaina Monuments of Orissa
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Champak flower marks on either side of the aura seem to be an added feature of the image. The editor of the Prachi Valley Report considers this image to be the representation of the last Tirthankara Mahāvira who with the first Tirthankara, Rşabha commonly appears in the Jaina sculptures of Orissa.21 Very probably these two images had adorned the same shrine built by the Jainas at Adasapur which appears to be one of the strongholds of Jainism in Orissa during the post-Gupta period.
Lower parts of the abdomen, fingers in both the hands, trilinear umbrella and the face of the Tirthankara are partially disfigured.
The sculpture shed at Lalitagiri preserves a seated image of Adinātha bearing No. 28. Exact provenance of the figure is not readily available with the watcher of the Museum. The image is carved seated in yogasana pose placing its right palm over the left on lotus pedestal supported by lions in front. The mark of cognizance is not visible in the pedestal. Hairs on its head are arranged in matted locks and gathered by a chaplet or string. A few strands of the matted locks are seen dangling over the shoulders, a feature common to all Rşabhanātha images of Orissa. Flying Gandharvas holding garlands in hands are depicted on either sides of the slab. An eliptical halo is carved behind head. A few inscribed letters are also traceable on one side of the image. It measures including the slab Im X 0.50m.
The Kanika house located in front of the Museum building at Bhubaneswar preserves a Jaina Tirthankara image. The owner of the image informs that it had been collected from a place in the ex-Kanika estate of Cuttack district. The image in chlorite stone measures 1.28m X 0.66m X 0.33m.
This figure is carved seated in yogasana pose on a lotus pedestal supported by spirited lions at each corners of the front. The conventional lañchana of the Tirthankara is not traced below the pedestal for which it becomes diflicult to identify it with any amount of certainty. The two chauri bearers are noticed standing on both sides over which the eight planets in conventional yogasana pose are carved. Hairs on its head are arranged in curled knots with a bulging at the centre. Celestial music produced through beating cymbals by palms of invisible Gandharvas, and flying Vidyādharas holding garlands are seen depicted on either sides of the trilinear sacred umbrella surmounted by the branches of the kevala tree. Its Sasanadevi depicted below pedestal is not clearly recognisable. Cut-marks as available with the Jaina Tirthankara figures of Charampa of Balasore district are also noticed in this figure. Since the Kanika area is close to Charampa it appears that sculptures of both the places followed the same tradition. Face of the figure is badly disfigured.
Jaina relics are reported to have been found at Baidesvara (Banki), Chatia and Chandol (Salepur area) of Cuttack District.
21. G.S.Das, Prachi-Valley Report, Ch. III.
