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Jaina Traditions and Archaeological Remains: Some Observations period. Jainism has accommodated the knowledge of past traditions in religious art and literature. Secondly due to the underlying substratum of connectivity across the length and breadth of the country apparent from material and linguistic evidence, Jainism could spread rapidly even to deep south India. Thus, the tradition of Bhadra bahu and Chandragupta migrating to south India also is not without concurring evidence. In this context the very early Jaina associated rock cut beds found in deep south India the said substratum of Dravidian languages and the early links from even the Harappan times between widely different areas, as suggested by various scholars all hint towards hitherto unrecognized possibilities that could be highlighted by impartial researches. Jaina researches should in fact move further ahead than merely reporting newly discovered sculptures and temples. The researchers in the field of Jainism should look for its roots from the earliest times and its total spatial expansion from the earliest times on the basis of archaeological remains. Acknowledgements I am thankful to Dr. Narayan Vyas, Superintending Archaeologist, Prehistory Branch, Archaeological Survey of India, Nagpur, for drawing attention to the Bhimbetka rock cut beds as of Jaina affiliation and other information provided from time to time. Thanks are also due towards Smt. Hemlata Ukhale, Librarian, Archaeological Survey of India, Bhopal, for providing all relevant information at the earliest. Lastly, miscellaneous technical help rendered by Shri Vijay Mishra is acknowledged herein. The line drawings given in this article are mere sketches and are only indicative of the possibilities. These have been illustrated for the convenience of the readers and these evidently would not exactly match the photographs due to the subjective interpretation of the light and shade effect of the photographs while producing the lines of the sketches. Serious scholars of the field are requested to look into the original volumes mentioned in the context of the figures.
REFERENCES - Agrawal, D. P. (2007), The Indus Civilization: An Interdisciplinary Perspectivs, Aryan Books International, New Delhi, p. 214. - Champalakshmi, R. (1974), Monuments and sculpture 300 BC to 300 AD: South India in A Ghosh (ed.) Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol I, Bhartiya Jnanpitha, New Delhi, pp. 96-103. - Coningham, R. A. E. (2002), Deciphering the Indus Script, in S. Settar & R. Korisettar (ed.) Protohistory ICHR & Manohar, Delhi, pp. 81-103. - Craven C. Roy. (1992), Indian Art, Thames and Hudson, London, pp. 23, 24. - Deo, S. B. (1974), The Expansion of Jainism in A Ghosh (ed.). Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol I, Bhartiya Jnanpitha, New Delhi, p. 25. - Deshpande, M. N. (1974), The Background and Tradition, in A Ghosh (ed.). Jaina Art and Architecture, Vol I, Bhartiya Jnanpitha, New Delhi, p. 21. - Garde, M. B. (1940), Annual Administration Report of the Archaeological Department, Gwalior State, Gwalior, pp. 14-17. - Gupta, S. P. (1980), Roots of Indian Art, B. R. Publishing Corporation, Delhi, p. 8.
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