Jainism in Bihar

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

Page 72

private houses or temples. Manbhum offers a rich field for research into the evolution of Jainism in this area, its relationship with orthodox Hinduism, Saivism and Vaishnavism. A number of inscriptions on the pedestals of some of the images have been found. They have not yet been properly deciphered or studied. A proper study of the inscriptions and the images supported by some excavations in well identified area of Jain culture will no doubt throw a good deal of light on the history of culture in this part of the country extending over two thousand years.
A few words on the Jain relics in Chotanagpur districts may be made. One of the objects of this brochure is to invite the attention of the historians, the archaeologists, the lay public and particularly the Jains to the many partiallyforgotten Jain relics in the State of Bihar. The Shikharji temple at Parasnath bill in Hazaribagh district and the temples at Pawapuri and Rajgir in Patna District are quite well-known. But some of the relics and particularly those in Cbotanagpur have been almost forgotten. Even in the List of the Ancient Monuments in the Chotanagpur Division published by authority in 1896 one does not find reference to many of the important Jain antiquities in Chotanagpur. Kuluha hill has been dismissed with only the following sontences and there is absolutely no reference to the influence of Jainism on the relics noticed :
“The inscriptions date to between the eighth and twelfth centuries ; they appear to be almost exclusively Buddhist, but are in very bad order. The sculptures date to about the same period, but are both Brahmanical and Buddhist. The place is little known, difficult of access, and has not been thoroughly examined ; a proper examination is
necessary." Regarding the state of preservation and suggestions for conservation the only remark is "boing destroyed by woather" 36