________________
Survey of Jaina Monuments of Orissa
99
depicted below the pedestal. Neminatha carved seated at the top is provided with the chauri bearers, flying Apsarās with garlands in hands, umbrella, and heavenly music played through cymbals.
Outside the premises of this shrine two more figures of Jaina Tirthankaras are still lying within bushes. One of them is Santinātha whose lañchana, deer is visible below the broken pedestal. Two spirited lions support its lotus pedestal and chaurt bearers and female figures in lalita pose are found along side the figure. Of the two female figures, one displays lotus in her left hand and the other behind the tree, holds a baby on the lap.
The other piece is profusely damaged and headless.
Two Rşabhanātha images, one in standing and the other in sitting pose, were brought to the Orissa State Museum earlier for preservation. They are now under display in the Archaeological Gallery of the Muscum bearing No. Ay. 31 and No. Ay. 33. The seated one on lotus pedestal in yogāsana measures 0.75m in height and 0.60m in breadth. Below the pedestal there are figures of women engaged in worship and infront of them, bull, the lāñchana of the Tirthankara is engraved. The composition of the matted locks of hairs with long ears and half closed eyes presents a beautiful meditative facial expression. Unfortunately the nose of the figure is damaged. The texture of the stone in which the figure is carved composed of white and black bands giving an impression of a transparent upper garment. The stele has an oval halo (prabhāmandala) with two flying Gandharvas on either side holding garlands in hands. This image is very valuable from the point of epigraphy for near the right hand of the image an inscription containing fifteen letters in four lines is found which reads as "Ehasya pratibimbi Rşabha Bhattāraka" meaning there by the statue of Rşabha Bhattāraka. The language of the inscription is in Sanskrit and script is in kutila type of the 8th century A.D. Hence palaeographically the image may be placed in the 8th century A.D.24
The other Rşabhanātha image (Fig. 87) designed in standing pose on a double petalled lotus pedestal measures 0.77m x 0.46m. His lañchana, the bull is found carved below the lotus pedestal supported by spirited lions. The chauri bearers, Bharata and Bahuvali are standing on either side. The locks of hair are arranged in jata, a few strands of which seen falling on his broad shoulders. The eliptical halo behind head is flanked by two flying figures, holding garlands in hands. The sacred umbrella is seen over head flanked by cymbals and drum played in hands to produce heavenly music. Due to stiffness of the stone, the image is in good state of preservation.
The part of the Baula range of hills near which this temple and the images are situated is called Yogichata by the local people. There was a flight of stairs made of bricks and stone connecting the temple compound with the top of the mountain. The stairs are now badly damaged, still they are used by the local people to reach the top of
24. A. Joshi, “A unique Rsabha image from Podasingidi”, OHRJ. Vol. X, No. 1, pp. 74-76,
