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...

Jain symbols in Art

The symbols are significant for the study of Jaina religion and art when the image worship was not in vogue. Religious symbols were very much popular among all creeds in the early Indian history. Worship of symbols like dharmachakra, manastamba, indradvaja, chaitya tree, ayagapatas and stupas are highly venerated by the follower of Jainas. The symbols pertaining to Jaina creed represented at the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri hill are srivatsa, svastika, nandipada, vadhha-mangala, triangle headed one and tree within railing etc. The Hathi-Gumpha inscription of Kharavela is accompanied with symbols like vaddha mangala, svastika, a triangle headed symbol etc.[1] On the back wall of Ananta-Gumpha at Khandagiri, a nandipada appears on a pedestal flanked on either side by a set of three symbols, a triangle headed one, srivatsa and svastika. Besides, these symbols are also noticed at the arch bands of Rani-Gumpha, Ganesa-Gumpha, Ananta-Gumpha and Bagha-Gumpha. In Ananta-Gumpha and Hati-Gumpha the symbols are used as purely religious motif where as in Rani-Gumpha they are found at the top of the arch may be as a decorative motif. Worship of tree an important aspect of religious cult both in Buddhism and Jainism. Tree surrounded with railing has been vividly depicted in the third tympanum of Ananta-Gumpha and in the back wall of Jaya-Vijaya-Gumpha. The tree within railing is depicted as sacred symbol, honoured by devotees with floral offerings in their hands and garlands carried by flying vidyadharas.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid., pp.1-15.

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