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Jaina Monuments of Orissa
The village (B. Singpur) appears to have been once a centre of Jainism. Numerous Jaina Tirthankara images ranging from a foot to five feet in height have been found in its neighbourhood. One such image of a seated Rşabhanātha, which is made of steatite slab, is now worshipped in a thatched temple and is in a well preserved state. Another, which is kept in the Jagannātha temple is used by the villagers for sharpening their axes. A number of Jaina images have been built into the walls of the Siva temple which stands at the foot of the hills. Similar images are to be found in the villages of Charmula and Narigaon within a distance of four or five miles of Singpur.
It is also reported in a news item published in daily "The Hindustan Standard" regarding the Jaina sculptures of Koraput district that the Sarpanch of Jamunda village has kept another five images in an improvised temple with a thatched roof built by local Adivasis.50
Ruins of temples have also been discovered at Pakniguda and Katharaguda villages in the interior of Boriguma Block. “Päkni" in the local language stands for stone and Gudā" means village.
The local Adivasis offer sacrifices before these images and hold a special ceremony once a year on a Friday. Goats are scrificed at the ceremony.
According to the Sarapanch of the Jamunda village there are a number of caves in the nearby hill ranges where much bigger stone images are hidden.
Scholars and archaeologists are intrigued alike about these discoveries as this part of Orissa which was not known to be a seat of Jainism.
Now coming to the Jaina relics of B. Singpur, in the District Museum at Jeypore we notice from among the twenty-one sculptures, six are of Rşabanātha, one each of Pārsvanātha, Ajitanātha and Mahāvīra, five of Tirthankara figures whose indentification is difficult and seven belong to the class of Yaksa and Yaksinis especially of Gomedha and Ambikā carved either jointly seated on a common pedestal or alone standing or seated on a lotus pedestal.
The first figure of Rşabhanātha (Fig. 124) from B. Singpur (D.M. 9) is seated in Yogasana pose on a pedestal supported by lions in the centre of which his Sasanadevi Chakreśvari with four hands is found seated on Garuda, her vehicle. The attributes in her hands are indistinct. Bull, a lañchana of the Tirthankara is found depicted on the pedestal. Ysk$a Gomukha to the right of the figure and female devotees to the left are also found on the pedestal. The chauri bearers are engaged in the service of the Tirthankara. His hairs over head are arranged in Jatās, a few strands of which seen falling on his broad shoulders. The oval shaped multipetalled halo, kevala tree, flying figures with garlands and umbrella in three folds are all envisaged at the top. Various decorative
50. "The Hindustan Standard", dated 26.6.76, Dak Edition.
