Jainism in India

Author(s): Ganesh Lalwani
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 21

JAINISM IN INDIA
writes, “Inside (the grotto) is a well-preserved image of the Jina Parsvanatha, seated and surmounted by the usual snake-hood. Close to the west of this is another small grotto containing a seated Jina in the conventional posture. As the cinha engraved on the pedestals is effaced, the Jina intended cannot be ascertained.”
Jaina antiquities in Manbhum-It is now almost forgotten that the district of Manbhum in Chotanagpur division of Bihar had once been a great centre of Jainism. Probably in no other district in India could be found more ancient Jaina antiquities lying in neglect than in Manbhum. Manbhum was the district through which one had to pass while going from Bengal or Bihar to Utkal or Orissa.
It will be remembered that Jainism as a creed had once a very great hold on Orissa. The antiquities in Khandagiri caves in Orissa are unique specimens of Jaina antiquities. The famous Jaina king Kharavela of Orissa came upto Barabara hills in Gaya where he had left his impress. Manbhum was the via media through which the contacts between Bihar and Orissa were maintained. This may be one of the reasons why there are so many Jaina antiquities scattered all over the district of Manbhum.
Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveller in India in the 7th century A.D., mentions that he came across a province which he called 'Safa'. General Cunningham mentioned that Bara Bazar of the Barabhum Pargana in Manbhum district was the headquarters of this Safa province. Mr. Hibert, however, identifies Dalmi, which is near Patkum as the capital of Safa province. There are some ancient remains which are clearly of Jaina origin at Dalmi.
Tradition ascribes to Lord Mahavira having visited the province of Safa when he was on tour for the spread of his cult. It is said that the aboriginals who were in an overwhelming majority in the Safa province were not very keen to listen to or follow Mahavira and that he was even molested by them. But undaunted, Lord Mahavira went about preaching his cult and ultimately his sense of sobriety and saintliness touched the heart of the tribal population and many were converted to Jainism.
Balarampur, commonly known as Palma Balrampur, a village about four miles from Purulia, is on the bank of river Kasai. There is a temple at Balarampur in which there are a number of Jaina images some of which are clearly of the Jaina Tirthankaras.