Jainism in Odisha (Orissa)

by Ashis Ranjan Sahoo | 2015 | 106,639 words

This essay studies the presence of Jainism in Odisha or Orissa by documenting the Art, Architecture and Iconography of Jaina images, relics, structures and establishments from different districts. In Odisha, archaeological evidences show how Jainism flourished during the 1st century BCE during the reign of emperor Kharavela, stating that Jainism wa...

Brahmanidevi Temple, Naguan (Jajpur)

Brahmanidevi Temple, Naguan

The modern pidha style Brahmanidevi temple is located in front of Brahmanidevi High School at Naguan village of Talagarh gramapanchayata. It is about 4km from Jajpur Road towards Keonjhar. According to the inscribed stone tablet attached in the temple[1], it was built by “Sriman Raja Balabhadra Narayana Bhanja Deo Bahadur, under the order of J.H. Price ESQR M.B.E. Superintendent, Keonjhar, 1927”. Besides the main temple, there are also two small pidha temples

flanking the main temple. The temple complex and its surrounding areas preserve a large number of Jaina antiquities (Pls.LVA-LVIIIB) to substantiate to be a venerable Jaina pilgrimage center.

Padmavati image:

The presiding deity Brahmanidevi of the main temple is worshiped as a Brahmanical deity quite akin to the image of Padmavati temple of Kenduli in Prachi valley. The two armed goddess (1.35x0.75m) carved out of black chlorite stone, stands over a double petalled lotus pedestal. She holds a full blown lotus in the left hand and right hands kept in position of varada mudra. She is decked with ornate crown in the hair bun, pendants, bangles, armlets and valayas etc. A seven hooded snake canopy is shown over his head. A decorated torana is depicted behind his body and topped with birds disgorging pearls from orifice at either end. Above her prabhavali, foliated tree branches are seen and flying vidyadharas are on the top at either end. Two nagi figures, one on each side having five hooded snake canopy are standing with purna-ghata on either side of the deity near the feet. The space below the pedestal is relieved with stems, leafs and kneeling devotees on either side.

Chaumukhas:

Six numbers of chaumukhas found on the temple premises, two of them khandolite while one of laterite and the material of other chaumukhas are not be ascertained due to thick lime coat. The two khandolite chaumukhas are kept in two independent modern pidha temple flanked by the main shrine Brahmanidevi. The Jaina chaumukhas are fashioned in form of small pidha temple with trefoil arch at the central projection at each cardinal direction. Each niche depicted a different Tirthankara figure; two of them are Mahavira and Parsvanatha. The other Tirthankaras are not identified clearly as their lanchanas are buried under the cement-concrete flooring of the temple. Both the chaumukhas are identical in feature viz., architecture, iconographical representation and material. In dimension the two shrines are quite different while one measures 36 x14cm, the other measures 45x16cm in height and width respectively.

Another laterite Jaina chaumukha (1.50x0.60m) is placed in front of the temple under a banyan tree. It is a typical tri-ratha miniature rekha temple with an oval niche at the raha paga in one side. The niche is empty as probably an independent Tirthankara image was attached their which is now missing.

Another chaumukha (1.30x0.50m) in form of miniature tri-ratha rekha temple next to it is coated with thick lime plaster. The single rectangular niche of the chaumukha represents a Tirthankara image standing in kayotsarga posture whose lanchana is not engraved. The image is disfigured with black plastic paint. Carved with similar design two chaumukhas are found coated with lime plaster. They are tri-ratha on plan and have single rectangular niches at one of their raha projections. The Tirthankara images are missing.

Besides, a number of laterite blocks with semi-circular at the top in the premises are also found. Some are upraised on the ground in rows while others are fallen here and there. The placement pattern of the laterite blocks seems to be a railing and each block has socket at the upper end. But each laterite blocks are not uniform in size so it can be presumed that the niches are mint for keeping Tirthankara images in it which are now missing. The largest laterite blocks measures 2.10x0.75m with a socket of 60x40cm in height and width respectively. A pillar having square base and top and hexagonal at the middle is also found and measures 1.65x0.35cm in height and width respectively.

A seated image in varadamudra is noticed at the site under the banyan tree. The image is densely coated with lime plaster and the hand in varadamudra is a later addition. Thus, it seems be a Jaina Tirthankara image which later on converted to a Buddhist image by minor alterations which are clearly visible.

A female deity in lalitasana pose is also found in one of the subsidiary pidha structure. Her attributes in both hands are missing but serpent hoods are depicted behind her head. She is bejeweled with ornaments and her lanchana lion is shown at the bottom.

A stone slab depicting lower part of a Tirthankara image, standing in kayotsarga posture is also found within one of the small subsidiary pidha structure. He is flanked by two chauri bearers at the bottom while the upper part of the stone slab is missing.

Tirthankara image, Siva Temple, Naguan

Fragment of a Jaina Tirthankara image (Pl.LVIIIC) found in front of a Siva temple at the middle of the village Naguan which is located about 300m away from the Brahmanidevi temple. The fragmentary Tirthankara image is standing in kayotsarga posture but his lower portion below the knee is missing. The face of the image is defaced and the left hand is missing completely. A full blossom flower is seen on the right side of the Tirthankara image.

Gramadevati Shrine, Naguan

The gramadevati shrine of this village is located on the outskirt of the village amidst paddy field. Buddhist, Brahmanical as well as Jaina images are found open to the sky within low height covered boundary wall over a small mound. Besides an image of Marichi, a bust part of Buddha, a four armed image of Parvati, an image of Ambika and stone slab depicting salakapurusa are found.

Ambika:

The image is buried partially with other fragments of image depicts the Sasanadevi Ambika (12x16x8cm) seated in lalitasana with a baby in her left lap who touches her breast in his hand. While another child is shown standing right side of the image like other Ambika images found in Odisha. Her mount lion is seen below his pedestal in crouching posture. A decorated torana is also marked behind her head. A devotee playing cymbals with hands is seen on either side of the image. The portion above her neck and the right hand is missing.

Stone-slab depicting Ganadharas and Purvadharas: A stone slab depicting 120 diminutive Ganadharas and Purvadharas (Pl.LVIIID) in 10 rows and 12 in each row with a height of 4cm. The stone slabs measures 43 x28x5cm in height, width and breadth respectively. This is quite similar to that of found in the Mangala temple at Kuansa but the back side of the stone slab is completely plain.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This data is engraved on a marble plate and attached to the wall of the Brahmanidevi Temple.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: