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Jaina Monuments of Orissa
bands of Ananta-Gumpha with lotus buds held in their beaks. A number of other animals, birds and reptiles including the ones referred to above are also provided as lanchanas of the entire series of Tirthankaras and Śāsanadevis of Jaina pantheon of the medieval
period.
A number of winged and enigmatic figures also form the subject matter of decoration of brackets and pillar heads in some caves of the place. A flying human being with heavy turban, earrings and a pair of outstretched wings is depicted in a bracket of Jagannatha-Gumphã. A running domesticated dog of the same cave is also set with two wings and a flowry tail. A dog like animal is provided with a parrot's beak and a pair of wings. In other cases an animal set with head of a bird is also noticed. Though all of them are with wings and carved in low relief, yet their form denotes some fabulous creatures entirely absent in this part of the country. They comprise animals which we with much difficulty have taken as horse, bull or lion attached with ram, goat, human, parrot or cock's head. These animals are all carved standing back to back and cover the entire space set apart for the purpose. The tails of these animals are either long with hairs at the end like the lions, short containing bushy growth of hairs like that of horses and irregularly shaped without any indication of hairs in them. The whole galaxy of fabulous creatures on which the fish tailed makaras, winged human headed lions, griffins with parrot's beak and other creatures of imagination could be used at will to decorate the brackets and pillar tops had perhaps been derived from the western concept and formed mainly a decorative order without any religious significance attached. to them.
The use of West-Asian motifs like honey-suckles, merlons, and winged animals, which had an all India distribution in this period precludes the possibility of an indeperdent development of these caves. In the patterns there is hardly any thing which is specifically Jaira for the same motifs are used rot only by the early Buddhists, but also by the followers of Brahmanical faith. At Säñchi, the winged lion is also shown in a flying attitude carrying a rider on its back.
Domestic life at this place is depicted through male and female costumes comprising clothes, decorative body ornaments and coiffures. Many objects of indoor and outdoor use have also been found like seats, caskets, trays, bowls, spouted jars, pitchers, money purses, wicker stands, flywhisks, umbrellas, flower garlands, musical instruments of mridanga, flute, harp, cymbal and weapons of war like bow, arrow, shields, clubs, swords, spears, etc. have also been represented in various places of the relief panels.
Contemporary dress and ornaments are faithfully portrayed through the male and female figures carved in differert capacities. The main portion of the male dress is the dhoti or a sheet of cloth passed round the waist and then gathered in front. Occasionally the collected portions passed between the legs and tucked in behind.. This traditional pattern of wearing not only gives effective protection to the loins but also according to its breadth it covers the mid thigh region or the knees and at times
