Image title: Number 3: Tirthankara Muni Suvrata

This is the image of the twentieth Jain Tirthnakara Muni Suvrata. In this image, the Tirthankara is seated in padmasana on a full-blown double-petalled lotus-pedestal. He has meditative eyes (dhyanamudra), elongated ear-lobes and a coiffure of schematic curls with a distinct ushnisha. The Tirthankara is flanked by two elegantly jewelled male cauri-bearers. These cauri-bearers stand in abhanga pose and hold a fly-whisk in their right hands and their left hands are in katyavalambita posture. The head of the Jina is surmounted by a trilinear chatra which is flanked by two vidyadharas holding long garlands and in-between these two disembodied hands playing drums are also depicted. In the centre of the pedestal an image has been depicted. The deity is in reclining position on a cot below the pedestal.

Gallery information:

These photographs accompany the study on Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal based on the fields of Archaeology, Art and Iconography. Jainism represents a way of life incorporating non-violence and approaches religion from humanitarian viewpoint. Ancient Bengal represents the modern state of West Bengal and the Republic of Bangladesh, situated in the eastern part of the Indian sub-continent. Here, Jainism was allowed to flourish from the pre-Christian times up until the 10th century CE, along with Buddhism.