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Jaina Monuments of Andhra
with Tirthankara in miniature, is seen on the top of the Prabhavali, fashioned in very charming and realistic (fig-21) manner. Thus, the manner will definitely push it to early date, i.e., 8th-9th century of Chalukya period. Other metallic images of Bapatla hoard were all neatly moulded and beautifully fashioned.
Another hoard was discovered at Mediconda, Mahaboobnagar district, comprising of 10 images. But the Lingasoor hoard of Raichur district is more interesting, as it shows varieties of styles and ethnic types. All the metallic images of those three hoards belong to the Digambara tradition and are mainly depicted as standing nude Tirthankaras, without any attendant deities. The standing Tirthankara of the Lingasoor corresponds closely to the standing Buddha image (fig-22). Perhpas this image belongs to 6th-7th century A.D. In modelling the Torso and legs and in rendering the ears with long-lobes, this Jina figure is quite comparable with the Buddha images. More Juvenile and beautiful in appearance and perhaps earlier than the above Jina, is the Tirthankara standing in Kayotsarga posture from the Medikonda hoard (fig-23). In this the face is more rounded than the above and the rendering of eyes, nose and lips was typically classical. The torso and legs also were well proportioned and the shoulders gracefully rounded. According to U.P. Shah,18 this image is assignable to the early 6th century A.D. To the 8th century A.D. belongs another variety of Jina images in this hoard. They are large-sized Tirthankaras with small lips and face and hence assignable to the 8th century A.D. (fig-24) i.e., to the Western Chalukyas of Talakhad.
Thus the metal images of Andhra were the products of two main schools of art, namely the Chalukyas and Gangas. The recently discovered bronze image of Adinathasvami from Perali village, assignable to 4th-5th century on paleographical grounds, may have been influenced by the Vishnukundin tradition. Further, it appears that the metal works of Andhra were chiefly confined to the images of Tirthankaras and their attendants, well executed and proportionately composed.
