________________
The other Excavated Artefacts of Mathurā
Mathurā contributes a series of artefacts unearthed from Kankālī Tīlā, comprising of images, āyāgapatas, railing pillars. śālabhañjikās, door lintels, door jambs, toranas, ornamental bosses, blocks narrating life incidents of Jinas, etc.
5.1 Ayāgapaļas:
The superbly carved āyāgapațas represent Jaina symbols and philosophy illustrating the ancient system of adoration. In total 27 āyāgapațas were found from Mathurā, inclusive of one each from Kosam and Ahicchatrā similar to those from Kankālī Tīlā. On palaeographic and aesthetic ground most of them are accredited from early Kșatrapa to late Sakal (Kuşāņa) year. They carried inscriptions of donors in Prakrit language and Brāhmi script serving information of the date of establishment with other details. The word Āyāgapața or Silāpata is provided in the inscription itself. Since such sculptures were put up in shrines for the worship of Arhats, Dr. Buhler furnished the word 'Ayāgapata' as 'a tablet of homage or tablet of worship’2. Dr. Agrawal V. S. noted about this as follows: “It appears that in the domain of Indian art the Āyāgapatta as an item in the repertorie of religious devotees was peculiar to the early Jainas... From the point of view of art, the Ayāgapattas from Mathurā rank amongst some of the most beautiful specimens of the Mathurā school of sculpture. They are exceedingly well conceived and the composition adequately conveys the meaning of the symbolism they seek to represent. The grouping of the static and moving figures and of the arrangement of the religious symbols produces a fine harmonious effect. The Tīrthankara figure seated in the central circle in meditation, symbolises as it were the bedrock on which Jaina metaphysics bases its conception of world creation. The Arhat figure predominates the whole group, everything else, viz., the Triratnas, the Svastika and the other symbols stand fixed in relation to it and revolve round it. An ideal harmony of the static and dynamic aspects of creation seems to have been achieved in art on these Āyāgapațțas”3. He also remarked that they were installed on high platform in stūpa premises and adored from distance as they do not show any sign of wear and tear caused by direct and constant use
1. 2 3
V.K. Sharma, Reconstruction... 2002, pp 174. Ep. Ind. Vol. II, pp. 314. Agrawala V. S., “Mathurā Āyagapata', in J.U.P.H.S., vol. XVI, pp. 59-60 and pls. I-II.
