Jaina images of Jamunda at Jeypore District Museum

Seven images were collected from the surroundings of the village Jamunda and displayed in the District Museum, Jeypore. Out of the seven images three are of Risabhanatha, two of Parsvanatha, one of Mahavira and another one in not identified properly^[1]. The descriptions about these images are as follows-

Risabhanatha (DM-08)

The Risabhanatha image (42x27x12cm) is carved seated in dhyanamudra and surrounded by twenty three Tirthankaras in yogasana all around. He has jata style hair and few strands of it fallen over his shoulder. The auspicious mark trivali is shown on his neck. An elongated halo at the back of his head and capped by a foliated umbrella. He is flanked by chauri bearers on the either side. His Sasanadevi is shown at the pedestal below the row of Tirthankaras. Parsvanatha, the 23^rd Tirthankara is depicted here with a three hooded snake canopy instead of his usual seven canopy snake hood. The lanchanas of Tirthankaras surrounded by the mulanayaka Risabhanatha are depicted in very diminutive size at their respective pedestals which are clearly visible at the last row Tirthankaras except one being damaged. The image is partially damaged at the face of the Risabhanatha and top left corner of the stone slab.

Risabhanatha (DM-?)

The image of Risabhanatha (56x32x10cm) is carved seated in dhyanamudra over a lotus pedestal supported by two vigorous lions at the two ends and a four armed Chakresvari image at the center. She is seated in padmasana along with devotees. She holds disc in the upper two hands while lower hands attributes are not distinct. The lanchana bull, chauri bearers, decorative circular halo, flying garland bearer, kevala tree, elephants, sacred umbrella and divine musicians are all visualized in the image.

Risabhanatha (DM-35)

The image of Risabhanatha (48x30x09cm) is carved seated in dhyanamudra over a couch and flanked by two bejeweled chauri bearers on either side. He has jata-bhara over his head and few strands of it are fallen over his shoulder. His elongated ear lobe and trivali mark at the neck is clearly envisaged. A circular halo decorated with lotus leaf and beaded boarder is engraved behind his head and it surmounted by a chhatra flanked by branches of kevala tree. The top corner of the left side of the image is missing while on the left side makara-mukha, flying garland bearer and an elephant motif is depicted one above the other. The space below the pedestal is carved with a two armed Chakresvari image in the center flanked by vigorous lions and further by the standing image of yaksha Gomukha on the extreme right and two kneeling devotees with folded hands on the extreme left of the stone slab at the bottom. The Sasanadevi seated in lalitasana but her attributes are not clearly visible.

Parsvanatha (DM-11)

A portion at the right side of the stone slab depicting the image of Parsvanatha (60x32x15cm) is missing. The remaining portion displays the Tirthankara seated in dhyanamudra over the snake coils, a snake hood canopy is shown over his head. A bedecked chauri bearer, makara-mukha, flying garland bearer and an elephant shown one above the other vertically at the left side of the image while the right portion of the slab is missing. The base below the seat of the Tirthankara is carved with the two armed Sasanadevi Padmavati at the center and flanked by spirited lions. The Sasanadevi seated in dhyanamudra and has a seven hooded snake canopy at her head. Her attributes in hands are indistinct.

Parsvanatha (DM-?)

The image of Parsvanatha (32 x20x08cm) is carved standing in kayotsarga posture over a plain pedestal. His conventional cognizance snake is shown at his back with a seven hooded canopy over his head. Besides, chauri bearers, kevala tree, chhatra, flying garland bearers and kneeling devotees with folded hands are also represented in the figure. The face of the Tirthankara is partially damaged.

Mahavira (DM-26)

The Tirthankara Mahavira (80 x38x14cm) carved seated in dhyanamudra over a loin cloth is placed over a couch decorated with flower motifs at the two ends. A small portion of couch with beaded boarder hanging in front is depicted his conventional lanchana lion in a diminutive size. He is flanked by bedecked chauri bearers, makara-mukha, flying garland bearers—male and female and elephant motifs one above the other vertically from the leg portion of the Tirthankara respectively on the both sides. The Tirthankara has curly hair, long ear lobe and trivali mark is shown at the neck. A circular halo of lotus flower with beaded boarder design is noticed at the back of his head. A decorated chhatra with a thick shaft and crown by a male figure in folded hands with a beaded chain at the neck is depicted over the chhatra which is a rare feature in Odishan Jaina art. The panel below the Tirthankaras pedestal is carved with his Sasanadevi Sidhayika seated in dhyanamudra in the center. She is flanked by spirited lions, her Yaksha in maharajalilasana at the extreme right while a kneeling female devotee with folded hands at the left are depicted. The Sasanadevis is four armed and she holds a mace upper right hand and a mace/sword in the upper left hand, while her two lower hands display varada mudra. A wheel is shown hanging just above the head of the Sasanadevi below the diminutive lion figure.

Padmaprabha

The Tirthankara’s identification as Padmaprabha (33x20x09cm) is doubtful as no clear cut identification marks are there. The Tirthankara is carved seated in dhyanamudra over a pedestal supported by spirited lions. His Sasanadevi, a four armed figure is shown in padmasana in the center below the pedestal. A human figure carved lying at the space where the conventional lanchana is normally to be found is a rare occurrence. The other usual features of the Tirthankara like circular halo, kevala tree, chauri bearers and flying garland bearers are also envisaged.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1984, pp.136-138.