Jaina Stupa At Mathura Art And Icons

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

Page 80

Mathurā School of Jaina Art
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The available toraņa, from the site, displays the minute details prevailing at the time in city procession (fig. 59), where some are holding articles for adoration or standing with folded hands. The bullock cart, horse cart, single and double storied buildings and the stūpa in the vicinity reveal the affluence of Mathurā
city. 4. In Mathurā, Jina images were chiselled with the data of king and
donor's name, the place of installation as well as the year of establishment.
More than eight auspicious symbols are elegantly chiselled on Āyāgapatas and parasols. They adopted ancient social and religious motifs like śrīvatsa, svastika, lotus, cakra, lion, elephant, Asoka and Kadamba trees, creepers as well as flowers with tiny buds. They introduced some new western motifs in their art specimens like lion with some strange face, animals with human faces, animals similar to dinosaurs
(fig. 59), grape creepers, different hair style, hair band etc. 6. Mathurā artists also decorated the entrances of shrines on two
Ayāgapatas - Sivayasā (fig. 109) and Lonaśobhikā (fig. 41) similar to Indian tradition of adornment like hanging bunch of flowers, bells, decorative ropes, etc. The unidentified objects displayed on the entrance of stūpa on Ayāgapatas (fig. 41, 109) are twisted flower garlands (vandanvāra) though look different from a distance. Such decoration is also noticed on the reliefs from Bhārhut and also on Āyāgapața of Āryāvatī (fig. 33). Artists depicted prolonged musical instrument Harp at least on three artefacts. Mathurā School of art seems to be little primitive, but then also succeeded in carving marvellous stone images expressing calmness (santa bhāva) on faces of Jinas (fig. 60).
3.6
The Veneration of Auspicious Symbols (Mangala - pratikas) in Jainism : The adoration of tree, river, mountain, cow, elephant, lion, bull, svastika, śrīvatsa, kumbha, cakra, etc. are common heritage of chief faiths in India. Jainism has its own philosophy, thought, beliefs and rituals developed in course of time. The depicted symbols on art motifs express the philosophy at a glance to laymen. Tīrthankaras established Tīrthas to