Jainism in India

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

Page 34

JAINISM IN INDIA
If we travel northwards towards Bankura by following up the courses of the Kangsavati, the Silavati and th: Darakesvar we come acoss the numerous Jaina religious settlements concentrated upon in some villages situated within Ranibandh, Khatra and Taldangra police stations and also at such places like Bahulara and Dharapat situated near Vishnupur, all falling within the district of Bankura. From Ranibandh itself is collected a medium-sized sculptural representation possibly of the Tirthankara Mahavira identified from the mutilated portion of the lāñchana, lion, and being flanked by the aștagrahadevatās like that of the image of Santinatha described above The village of Ambikanagar situated on the confluence of the Kangsavati and Kumari owing its name to its tutelary deity Ambika and now being worshipped as a Brahmanical deity after enshrinement in a modern brick temple built over the foundations of a stone temple of an earlier period and perhaps associated with the śāsanadevi Amra or Ambika conceals a Jaina place of pilgrimage as the reported findings of some Jaina images from its surroundings would testify. From the village Barkola situated about 21 miles east of Ambikanagar has been collected a beautiful image of the śāsanade vi Ambika standing on lotus with her vāhana lion while a child holds here left hand. Here Jina Neminatha, the twentysecond Tirthankara, has been placed above her head in the centre. Two other miniature images each personifying a Tirthankara standing in kāyotsarga pose on a lotus flanked by an attendant on each side have also been found from the same village. The cognizance of one is either bull or makara indicating either Rsabhanatha or Suvidhinatha, while the other is represented by his lāñchana elephant representing the Tirthankara Ajitanatha. One miniature votive temple depicting on each of its four faces the figure of a standing Tirthankara perhaps giving an idea about the architectonic shape and other features of the contemporary architectural style of the extinct temple was also noticed at the same place. Now after moving across northwards by crossing the confluences of the Kumari and the Kangsavati we come across at the village Pareshnath, no doubt named after the shrine of the twentythird Tirthankara Parsvanatha. Here one can observe a gigantic sculpture representing Parsvanatha (height 6'81") reduced to fragments which are now lying over the ruined plinth of the ancient temple. Nicely executed on the chlorite rock the sculpture presents a beautiful and bold representation of the Tirthankara flanked by the other Tirthankaras standing in groups. From further upstream in the Kangsavati valley at places like Kendua and Loadihi findings of Jaina antiquarian remains in the form of ruined temples and mutilated sculptural pieces have been reported. That the Jaina Tirthankara Parsvanatha was greatly venerated by the followers
of Jainism specially of this district is corroborated from the presence