Jainism in India

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

Page 35

JAINISM IN INDIA
of stone images of this deity enshrined in the temples at Bahulara and Dharapat situated near Vishnupur, and which are being worshipped in the name of Manasa, the snake goddess. The seven-hooded serpent
manifesting over the head of the Tirthankara has been wrongly taken by the local inhabitants as that of the nāgachatra of Manasa.
Now we may cross over to Purulia district bordering on the state of Bihar. Situated not far away from the Sameta Sikhara of the Jaina tradition and identified with the Parvashnatha hill in Bihar the ancient Manbhum attracted many a Jaina pilgrim and followers by whose munificence and patronage shrines were erected in later times. Except a few remains of the early mediaeval period earlier temples are now extinct. At Senara near Raghunathpur there is a ruined Jaina shrine now in complete ruins where a huge rock-sculpture carved out from schistoze rock and personifying a Tirthankara can be noticed. Not far away at village Sanka a beautiful image of a free-standing Tirthankara Rsabhanatha flanked by the groups of Tirthankaras is still being worshipped. The village Chharra on way to Purulia in ancient times was a centre of religious activity for the Jainas is well attested from the numerous findings of Jaina sculptures and architectural pieces including the caumukhas. A beautiful caumukha has been seen to be decorating a fountain situated at the entrance of the newly built Ramakrishna Mission Institute at Chharra. From Jhalda has been collected a headless image of the Tirthankara Adinatha or Rsabhanatha with his lcañhana, bull, prominently shown. Further extreme in the Suvarnarekha valley at a village called Deoli situated near Suisa railway station a paīcāratana shrine in ruins having a l'irthankara peeping through the fallen stone blocks has been noticed. But among all these remains pertaining to the Jaina religion, as noticed in Purulia district, the ruins and relics still lying in a neglected condition at the village Pakbira (Puncha P.S.) situated about 25 miles south-east from Purulia, the district headquarters, surely deserve some consideration on account of their wealth of fine sculptural materials. Besides the crumbling temples (only three stone temples are now standing in a very dilapidated condition) which occupy the area, the colossal figure of a Jaina Tirthankara (height nearly 7}') carved in round on chlorite locally being worshipped as Bhiram commands the respect and attention of the visitors.
The Tirthankara is standing in Kāyotsarga pose on a low pedestal on which a lotus symbol is carved and is flanked by cauri-bearers on his two sides. From the lañchana carved on the pedestal it seems that the sixth Jaina Tirthankara Padmaprabha has been represented
in this sculpture. The towering figure standing straight by dedicating