Studies in Jaina Art

Author(s): Umakant P Shah
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 38

A BRIEF SURVEY OF JAINA ART IN THE NORTH
Of early Jaina vestiges in Central Provinces (Madhya and Vindhya Pradesh) nothing is brought to light as yet. A few bronzes in the Nagpur Museum, acquired from Rajnäkin Khinkhini in the Murtijapur district belong to a period ranging from 7th to 10th centuries A. D. approximately. Some of these, especially the bronze image of Sarasvati, published earlier by me are of excellent workmanship. The museum also preserves stone sculptures found. at Ratanpur, Raipur, Burhanpur, Mändla and Hoshangabad. Of the mediaval period, Jaina temples are found at Arang, Chanda, Bhāṇḍak etc.; the most important specimens of Jaina sculptures belong to the age of Haihayas of Tripuri. One such beautiful sculpture is now in worship in a Digambara temple at Jubbulpore while two others of the same art are preserved in the Indian Museum. A few Jaina sculptures in the Thakur's compound at Sohagpur, Rewa State, belong roughly to the roth and 11th centuries A. D. Amongst them is an interesting multi-armed variety of Padmavati, an attendant yaksi of Parsvanatha, discussed by the late Śri R. D. Banerji, Most of the Jaina. vestiges in C. P. belong to the Digambara sect with its principal seat at Karanja.
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In Bengal, especially in the Western districts, the Jainas were probably pioneers in disseminating Aryan culture but unfortunately excepting the Paharpur finds noted above, no earlier Jaina vestiges have been brought to light. A few sculptures of the medieval period are, however, noteworthy. These include a beautiful stone sculpture of twenty-four Jinas with Adinatha in the centre (fig. 37), from Surohor, in the Dinajpur district, of Santinätha from Ujani in the Burdwan district, figures of Pärsvanatha from Bahulārā (fig. 38), Harmashra, Deulbhira and Siddheśvara (in the Bänkură district) and at bronze figure of Ambika from Nalgora as also a stone sculpture of Adinatha from Ghatesvara in the 24 paraganas. Jaina vestiges are more common in the West Bengal and extend upto Manbhum, Singbhum and Ranchi districts and the Chhota Nagpur division of Bihar. These images belong to the Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture but there is a difference in style among
Iconography of the Jaina Goddess Sarasvati, Journal of the University of Bombay, September, 1941, fig. 5.
Cousens, List of Antiquarian Remains in Central Provinces and Berar. Descriptive List of Exhibits in the Archaeological Section, Nagpur Museum (1914). R. D. Banerjee, Haihayas of Tripuri, Memoir No. 2 of A. S. I., pl. xlviii. b., xli. Proceedings of the All India Oriental Conference Travancore, 816 ff.
History of Bengal, I. 464 ff. Figs. 47-49, 153. Eastern School of Mediaeval Indian Sculpture, by R.D. Banerji, 144 ff. pls. lxxvi-lxxvii. A.S.I., A.R., for 1925-26, 115 ff. 153, pl. ix. e., for 1921-22, 84, pl. xxi, for 1922-23, 112 ff. Indian Culture, III. 524 ff. Varendra Research Society, Monograph No. 3.