________________
Tho
Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh)
They have mathas in Baramba, Narasingpur, Pendra
Kendrapara areas of Cuttack and Puri district. Hence we Nawapara (Orissa)
can conclude that it is difficult to accept that the Aryan Maraguda Valley
people came in large numbers and subjugated the local Koraput (Orissa)
tribes and superimposed their own culture and language Subai
on the Orissan people. The Orissan situation is principal Influence in Society
case of regional variation. Jainism has played a very significant role in the
• Naga Culture in Association with Jainism development of language, philosophy, architectural, The worship of the Naga culture is found in the different sculpture and the way of the life of the people. From third parts of Orissa, especially of the tribal and low caste Hindus century B.C. to fourth century A.D., according to N. of the hilly tracts of Western Orissa. Naga is familiar and Pattnaik, the political organization and social structure common that there is a peculiar place of Naga in their might have been at the best at the level of chiefdom or religious life, like the early Egyptians worshipping the snake state of proto-state formation.
with totemistic rituals. The people worship snake after The earliest introduction and spread of Aryan religious
being initiated to a religious order (Nagabachcha) like the
being initiated to a religious ord practice in Western Orissa came with the initial incursion
Upanayana of Brahman. of the Jaina religion. It is anti-vedic and did not recognize
These Naga cultural traditions still worship in Western Vedic metaphysics. The first acquaintance the tribal Kosali's Orissa. But we have evidence that it was started since prehad at Aryan was with Jainism. Here we can find the Jaina Gupta period in Western Orissa. It is important to observe practices and tribal deities' influence on Western Orissan that there is no restriction of caste, creed or sect for social life.
selection of individuals for its ceremony. Generally, the The ancient trade route linking the port of Paloura on
leader of the (Nagabachcha) is called Jhankar, Ojha or the Eastern coast of Bay of Bengal with the trade center of Pujhari. The Jaina Parsvanatha is represented either with a Deccan passed through this areas. The rulers gave seven-hooded serpent expanding over his head or as sitting patronage to Jainism to construct temples under the on the expanded hoods of a serpent with many heads. influence of monks who were travelling in these areas to According to Jain legend, when Parsvanatha was spread their religion. The creed has had its impact on the engaged in devotion, his enemy Kamatha or, Katha caused life of Oriya and Kosali's peoples. Worship of the Vata tree a great rain and thunder-storm to disturb him in his (Ficus), Kalpavata social custom is drawn from Jainism. meditations. The serpent king Dharanendra or Dharana Many Jaina scholars were employed as astronomers and with his wife Padmavati came to protect the lord and administrators of the court of various South Indian royal shadowed his head with his seven hoods as an umbrella. families as observed by D.C. Sircar.
Such sculptures are found in the cave temples of Badami These Jaina astronomers seem to have introduced the and Ellora and it has been noticed in Alakapuri-Gumpha of Saka Era in this region. The Jainism also influences the the Khandagiri and Udayagiri. medieval Oriya literature. The story of the Jagannath in From the above literary and archaeological the Oriya Mahabharata of Sarala Das appears to be a Jaina information, it can be assumed that there may be more parable in a different form. The Vishnu-garbha Purana of Jaina monuments and serpent images available in Western Chaitanya Das is replete with version of Jaina philosophical Orissa, and it seems that there is a lack of excavation in discussion and practices.
Western Orissa. Gopinath Mahanty (Gyanapitha awardee) referring to
To Be Continued In The Next Issue an account in the Sarala Mahabharata(Oriya) assumes that Janughanta was probably a very powerful king of Kalinga,
000 who lived on begging alms, remained neacked (Digambara)
76-C, Mangal Flat No. 15, and followed the principle of Non-violence. These
3rd Floor, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, practices are quite in common with Jaina religious faith.
Matunga, Mumbai-400019. The followers of this king are known as Janughantia in rural
Mo: 96193 / 79589 / 98191 79589. Orissa.
Email: kaminigogri@gmail.com
UGG 96
ડિસેમ્બર - ૨૦૧૭ .
