Jainism by Vividus

Author(s): Ramnik V Shah
Publisher: Ramnik V Shah Canada

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idols of Tirthankaras are not found in the canonical books, though the fact of worship is mentioned in some of them. The rules, however, appear to be in full sway in the 1st century of the present era, as evidenced by the oldest prakrita poem of the Jainas now available i.e. Paumachariya, and by the statues of Tirthankaras found in ancient sites e.g. in Kankali mound at Mathura, India) during the 3rd, 4th and 5th century B.C. Caves in Bihar, in Madhya Pradesh, Chandragiri at Shravanabelgola in Mysore, Ajanta, Ellora, and Dharashiva (a Bombay island known as Elephanta) in Maharashtra still exist as such evidence of antiquity. More recent by comparison are the Temples of the Gupta Age of the 4th to 7th century A.D. in Deogarh and Shravanabelgola; the temples of breathtaking beauty in iconography and carvings at Khajuraho of the 10th and 11th century A.D. and the Dilwara (Mt. Abu, Rajasthana) marble temples of the 11th and 12th century A.D. with their exquisite craftmanship. The 57-foot-high colossus of Bahubali stands carved out of a single rock at Shravanabelgola, depicting with branches of trees rising near the feet, detached meditation in the highest Jaina traditions, as it were, for all time to come. This was created by Chamundacharya, minister of the Ganga king Rachmalle during the 10th century. The colossal reliefs carved on the rockface near Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh belonging to the 16th century, the magnificent mandapas (halls) in the temples of Kumbharia and Ranakapur in Rajasthana, the inimitable Kirti-stambha (Tower of Fame) at Chittor near Udaipur, also in Rajasthana, and mirror-like polish of the pillars at Hallebid are still an architectural wealth of inestimable value. And how much more of such inestimable value the beautiful
igraphy in gold decorated with paintings illustrating the story or episodes from the life stories of Tirthankaras in Jaina manuscripts still lie hidden and undisclosed to the human eye in the unopened and not-to-be-opened Shashtra Bhandaras of the Jainas at various Temples, at present scattered all over India, nobody will ever know. In all probability. one shudders to think, these are destroyed or have vanished from sight for all time.
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