Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

Author(s): Renuka J Porwal
Publisher: Prachya Vidyapith

Page 29

The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art & Icons
year of the establishment of the image or sculpture. This information is very important to know the period of ruling kings. In the 7th century, the city came under Harsa's rule and later, from the 7th to the 12th A.D., it was under the rule of Gurjara Pratihāras. The rich merchants and the artistic shrines of Mathurā always attracted invaders. During the reign of Kumārgupta-I, Mathurā became a victim of the Hūņa tribe. The invader from Gazni attacked the city in the year 1017 A.D. and destroyed many temples in and around Mathurā and looted its enormous wealth. Before invading Mathurā, the invader inquired about the shrines and habits of the people. While marching towards Mathurā, he noticed a great structure from a distance. The locals informed him that the structure was built by a deity17. It is possible that he might have seen the Jaina stūpa, with its huge dome and high pillars adorned by idols18. He looted Mathurā and destroyed all the shrines. The noble metal images which he carried away after melting were five red gold idols, each five yards high, studded with very precious emeralds and gems and two hundred silver idols. 19 This shows that extremely costly metal idols were cast at Mathurā. (Two bronze idols of the Kuşāņa period were recovered in excavations at Sonkh20 between 1966 and 1974). Growse states in his memoir: “The city was given up to plunder for twenty days. Orders were given that all the temples should be burnt with naphtha and fire and levelled to the ground. The total value of the spoil has been estimated at three million rupees. The number of Hindus taken captive exceeded 5000.”21 However, this was not the end of prosperity and culture of Mathurā as it revived within five years. Jaina idols with dates ranging from 1023 to the 12th century on inscriptions were obtained from the site Kankālī Tīlā. These inscriptions highlight the liveliness and endeavours of the people of Mathurā. A few Hindu temples were also constructed after that period.
17 Growse F. S. and Oxon M.A., Mathurā; A district Memoir; (Delhi, Pilgrims Book Pvt.
Ltd. 1st edi. 1874, 2nd 1880, 3rd 1883), pp. 32. 18 Ibid. 19 Ibid, pp. 33 20 Sharma R.C., The Splendour of Mathura, 1993, pp. 39. 21 Growse and Oxon, op. cit., 1880, pp. 33.