Jainism in Bihar

Author(s): P C Roy Choudhary
Publisher: P C Roy Choudhary Patna

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When Beglar visited Suissa, a village near Deoli, he found under a bar (banyan) tree a collection of statues. He speaks of the statues as follows:
"The sculptures collected under the tree are Jain and Brahmanical; the principal are known by the names below:Monsa, a naked Jain figure with the snake symbol. Siva, a naked Jain figure with the bull symbol.
Siva, a votiva chaitya with four naked figures on the four sides, evidently Jain.
Sankhachakra, a figure of Vishnu Chaturbhuj.
Parvati, a female seated on a lion.
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Besides these, there are two small Jain figures..... female under a tree which I take to represent Maru Devi under the sal tree; another female under a tree, with five Buddhist or Jain figures seated round her head on branches of the tree; on each side are four rows of two each of elephant and horse-faced men. Bunches of flowers and fruit hang round the head of the female figure." (Vol. VIII, Arc. Surv. of India). Now there is an enclosure and there are four temples at four corners and one temple in the middle. The temple in the middle is very big and has fine images. This temple, undoubtedly, is very ancient. It is a tragedy that neglect has encouraged vandalism and some of the figures Beglar saw do not exist at the site now.
It is also to be noted that a large number of inscriptions are lying scattered in different parts of the district of Manbhum. It is recently that a concerted attempt is being made through a historical society at Purulia to collect these inscriptions and to have them properly deciphered. There are inscriptions found at village Karcha, Bhawanipur, Palma, Anai, Bauridih, Kumhri, Kumardaga, Chaliana, Simagunda and Jaida, all in Manbhum Sadar. Some of these inscriptions, particularly at villages Karcha, Bhawanipur, Palma, Anai and Bauridih have probably references to Jainism as there are many Jain antiquities found at the places where
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