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Unlike Rajasthan and Gujarat where Svetambars Jain iconography, and because similar high quality Jain predominated, Digambars had their strongholds in artworks are missing for many centuries and Jain artworks Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharastra and southern that have been found from the same period in north India India. Madhya Pradesh had several influential Jain centres show quite different forms and symbols. It may belong to from earliest times. The ruling dynasties of this region Ajivikas or another ancient Indian naked ascetic tradition. favoured the brahmanical religion, however, Jainism was Ancient naked terracotta statues discovered in 1970s held in esteem by individual kings of different dynasties. near Ayodhya are similar to the Lohanipur Torso, but Epigraphic evidence of the seventh century, discovered in terracotta arts are also missing in Jaina tradition and the the Sonagiri temples, proves their antiquity. Chandella Ayodhya terracotta statues too lack Jain iconography. kings patronised Jainism and the epigraphic inscriptions Deogarh: during the period of kings Dhanga, Kirtivarman and Pârsva & Supârsva Madanavarman suggest that many temples including the
The fort temples are dominated by the Jain temples in famous Khajuraho and Deogarh temples were built during
the eastern part of the hill fort; the images here are mostly their reign. The literary sources provide extensive
of the "iconographic and the stylistic variety".The Jain information regarding the state of Jainism in Madhya
complex was built during 8th to the 17th century and Pradesh, which include a temple dedicated to Parsvanatha
consist of 31 Jain temples housing around 2,000 sculptures at Dhara, which was later destroyed by the Muslims along
which is largest such collection in world. The Jain temples with the Hindu temples. The Parmar kings Harsa Siyaka,
have a large number of panels depicting scenes from Jain Vakpati Munja, and Bhoja supported literary activities and
mythology, tirthankara images and votive tablets. The were patrons of Jainism. Gwalior was connected with
pillars are carved with a thousand figures. Worship at some Jainism from earliest times and the fifteenth century was
of the Jain temples are still held regularly. The most famous the golden age of Jainism, and it was largely due to the
of the Jain temples in the fort is the Shantinath temple, under the Tomara kings. (Chatterjee 1984:p.177)
which was built before 862 AD. It is testament that a History:
prosperous Jain community lived in this region. Jain temple Parshvanatha, the twenty-third tirthankara, was born complex in Deogarh is protected by the Department of in Benaras (now Varanasi) in 872 BCE. According to Jain Archaeology of the Archaeological Survey of India. tradition, Kashi (now Varanasi) is the birthplace of three Kankali Tila Kankali Tila is a mound located at more tithankaras, namely Suparshvanatha,
Mathura. The name of the mound is derived from a modern Chandraprabha and Shreyansanatha. According to Jain temple of Hindu goddess Kankali. The famous Jain tradition, five tirthankaras were born at Ayodhya, stupa was excavated here in 1890-91 by Alois Anton including Rishabhanatha, Ajitanatha, Abhinandana-natha, Führer (Dr. Führer) The archaeological findings testifies the Sumatinathal and Anantanatha.
existence of two Jain temples and stupas. Numerous Jain The famous naked male torso found at Lohanipur, sculptures, Ayagapattas (tablet of homage). whether Mauryan or, more likely Kushana, is generally Most sculptures could be dated from the 2nd century taken as indicative evidence of ascetic tradition in north BC to the 12th century CE, thus representing a continuous India. Inscriptions from the many ayagapatas of the period of about 14 centuries during which Jainism Mathura region make clear that puja to the tirthankaras flourished at Mathura. These sculptures are now housed with lay and ascetic involvement was an important in the Lucknow State Museum and in the Mathura dimension to this The earliest archeological evidence is in Museum. The excavations of Kankali Tila are regarded as a the form of a naked headless torso discovered in 1937 testimony great antiquity of Jainism. near Patna (Bihar), which is called the "Lohanipur Torso". Prominent Tirthas: This has been dated by modern scholarship to about 2nd
Shantinath Temple in Deogarh century BCE. It is a highly polished stone artwork of precise
Prachin Bada Mandir, Hastinapur, Meerut human form, but it is unclear if it belongs to Jainism, Ajivikas or some other Indian religious ascetic
Navagarh Tirth tradition. While it is not Buddhist, and is naked like the Kailash Parvat Rachna, Hastinapur,Meerut Jinas, it may also not be a Jain statue because it lacks the Ashtapad temple, Hastinapur, Meerut
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