Jainism in Bihar

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

Page 87

am persuaded that all the images are Nastik. That of Parswanath is placed on a throne evidently intended for the place it occupies. It is standing and clothed. The others appear to have been brought from Gaya, and many are built into the walls."
At Nawadah the headquarters of a Subdivision of the same name in Gaya district he visited a Jain temple at Nakaur which has been identified as Gonawatola (Gunawad) on the main road of Giriak and Rajauli. This place is also Dear Nalanda. The temple has been described as follows :
"21st December-I went about a mile and a half northerly to see Nukaur tank and the Jain temple which it contains. The tank extends east and west in its longest direction, and is much choked with weeds, especially the Nelumbium. The temple occupies the centre, a small square terrace, and is a neat but inconsiderable building covered with one dome. A road in very bad repair with a very rude bridge of brick lead into it. The temple is in very good repair, so that if built 100 years ago as said, it must have been several times repaired. It contains two stones, much carved and perhaps old, as one is defaced. On the top of each are resemblances of the human feet surrounded by short inscriptions. There is not the smallest trace of any ruin in the vicinity of the tank to induce one to suppose that it had been formerly a place sacred to the worship of the Jain ; to which they were allowed to return when the Muhammadan conquerors looked on all Hindus with equal contempt and favour. Neither is there a single Jain near the place. Why it has therefore been selected I cannot say. Perhaps the tank is old, and the Jain knew from their books that the stones, the old object of their worship, were contaioed in the island. Its vicinity is waste and covered with bushes. Nawadab is a small market village, very poor."
Gunawad is about two miles from the railway station of Nawadah on the road to Bibar-Bakhtiarpur. It may be