Jaina Antiquities in Ada (Balasore)

Located on the bank of the river Kansabansa, the village Ada is situated 12km east of Kupari, a famous center of Buddhist and Jaina learning^[1]. The northern outskirt of the village filled with debris of a late medieval fort probably of a zamindar family. A number of Bramhinical and Jaina images have been found at the core area of the palace complex locally known as gadakhai. Out of the 12 images; nine are found in the Narayana temple complex (Pl.IA), one is worshipped as thakurani near Chatesvara Siva temple and two are in private possessions^[2]. The Jaina reliquaries of the site include the images of Risabhanatha (2nos.), Mahavira, Chandraprabha, Santinatha, Parsvanatha (3nos.), Chakresvari (2nos.; one of them in private possession), Ambika and an image of Ambika with Gomedha in a common stone slab (near Chatesvara Siva temple) etc. The Narayana temple complex stands over a brick mound (Pl.IB) where nine images are found (Pl.IC). The brick walls are clearly visible at the section of the mound and the brick measures 26x20x05cm in length, breadth and thickness respectively.

Risabhanatha:

The Tirthankara (1.10x0.45x0.25m) represented in kayotsarga posture over a double petalled lotus pedestal below which his lanchana bull is carved. (Pl.IIA) He is flanked by chauri bearer at the bottom and flying vidyadhara and divine musical instrument at the top. He has usual curly knots and few strands of which fallen over his shoulder. The auspicious trivali mark at the neck, elongated earlobe, plain oval halo behind his head and chhatravali surmounted by kevala tree are the other features depicted on the image. The image is carved out of khandolite stone and the upper part of the stone block is partially defaced now.

A mutilated figure of Risabhanatha (Pl.IIB) is seen worshipped as Gramadevata along with Brahmanical deities like Visnu and Mahisasuramardini Durga. The Tirthankara is seated in dhyanamudra and his face defaced with vermilion by the villagers. His lanchana bull is carved below the pedestal along with a couching lion.

Padmaprabha:

Another image is identified as Risabhanatha^[3] quite analogous to the previous one in its representation except the hair style of the image which is not curly as usual found in the case of Risabhanatha images (Pl.IIC). The pedestal below the Tirthankara is depicted with a full blown lotus flower flanked by spirited lions at the corner. Thus, the image can be identified as Padmaprabha (80x42x20cm) instead of Risabhanatha. The Tirthankara is carved out of the khandolite stone and partially defaced particularly at the face and the lower part of the hands.

Chandraprabha:

The Tirthankara Chandraprabha (70x40x18cm) depicted in kayotsarga posture over a plain pedestal below which his cognizance moon is represented and flanked by spirited lions at the corner (Pl.IID). The Tirthankara is flanked by chauri bearers at the bottom and flying gandharvas and divine musical instruments at the top. He has a circular plain halo behind his head and chhatravali flanked by kevala tree is also noticed above the halo. The image is badly weathered at the face, hands and chhatravali portion.

Santinatha:

The Jaina Tirthankara Santinatha (76x36x16cm) stands in kayotsarga posture over a double petal lotus throne below which his usual lanchana deer is carved but partially buried (Pl.IIIA). The chauri bearer, garland bearer, invisible hands play with cymbals and drums are represented in their respective positions. The trilinear umbrella, face and hands of the Tirthankara are completely damaged. He has a plain oval halo behind his head and trivali, the auspicious mark at the neck of the Jaina Tirthankaras are also seen.

Parsvanatha:

Out of the three Parsvanatha images, this is the most decorated and stunning image (82x49x22cm). He is seated in dhyanamudra over a beautifully carved multi-petalled lotus pedestal (Pl.IIIB). The place below his pedestal is also well decorated and filled with kneeling devotees and crouching lions. The Tirthankara has curly knots, elongated ear lobes, down casting eyes and a smiling face, a rarely shown image. He is accompanied by well decked chauri bearers standing in tribhanga postures over independent lotus pedestal. He has a seven hooded snake canopy behind his head surmounting the chhatravali. The halo of the Tirthankara is represented here in a disparate way. It is a huge oval shape but decorated with beaded, crimped, criss-cross and leaf pattern lines first of its design found in Odisha. The gandharvas at the top usually shown with garlands but here one of them holds a full blown lotus flower in one hand while the object in his right hand is missing.

The second image of Parsvanatha (1.25x0.75x0.35m) is carved seated in dhyanamudra over a double petalled lotus pedestal (Pl.IIIC). The space below his pedestal is represented with three fold torana and kneeling devotees worshipped a sacred object kept over a pitcher and the torana is flanked by lavishly decorated purnaghata capped with a conch and a flower bud on the left and right respectively. Rampart lions over elephants are found on the either corner of the stone slab at the bottom which is a rare representation. The Tirthankara is flanked by chauri bearers at the bottom and male and female garland bearer at the top and in between them is the epic story of Kamatha’s attack with bow and arrow, mace sword etc. depicted on either side. The back side of the Tirthankara is decorated with beaded design, crimped, criss-cross and leaf pattern lines first of its kind found in Odisha. The outstanding feature of the image is having five hooded snake canopy which is the identification mark of Naminatha and the conch which is the cognizance of Neminatha etc. A cut mark similar to that of images found from Charampa is also noticed at the chest of the Tirthankara image.

The third Parsvanatha image (1.10x0.61m) installed here is badly mutilated at face, snake’s canopy and upper part of the stone slab (Pl.IIID). He is seated in dhyanamudra over a lotus pedestal. His usual lanchana the seven hooded snake canopy is seen behind his head and curls of its tail at the back of the Tirthankara. The chauri bearers are depicted just below the hovering garland bearer amidst sky at the top instead of their usual location. Kneeling devotees with folded hands and spirited lions are depicted in their respective position below the pedestal of the Tirthankara.

Chakresvari:

One of the best preserved images of Chakresvari (66x28x20cm) in Odisha is noticed here on the southern side of the temple complex. The Sasanadevi is carved along with his Tirthankara Risabhanatha in a common slab divided into two compartments by a narrow panel (Pl.IVA). The lower compartment of the stone slab is depicted the twelve armed Chakresvari image, seated in cross-legged over a full blown lotus flower. Her usual lanchana Garuda is depicted at the center of the lotus pedestal as if flying. The Sasanadevi is bedecked with crown, karna-kundalas, necklace, armlets, bangles and beaded ornaments across the body as like yajnapavita etc. She has a central bun over her head behind which a circular plain halo is marked. The attributes of her right hand from bottom to top are citrus, wheel, wheel, sword, flower (?) and vajra while the left hands attributes are full-blown lotus, wheel, disc, conch, wheel(?) and vajra. She is flanked by her chauri bearers stands over independent lotus pedestal and flying garland bearers at the top.

The upper compartment of the stone slab is depicted the Risabhanatha seated in yogasana posture over a cot below which his lanchana bull represented and flanked by crouching lions. The Tirthankara is flanked by chauri bearers in tribhanga posture. An oval halo without any decoration marked at the back of the Tirthankara and is surmounted by trilinear chhatravali flanked by kevala tree branches. Hovering maladharas and drums played with invisible hands are also depicted at the upper part of the stone slab.

Another twelve armed image of Chakresvari is found under worship at the house of a villager named Narayan Ray Mohapatra.

Ambika:

Ambika (80x42x18cm) along with her diminutive Tirthankara Neminatha is depicted on a common slab while Ambika is larger in dimension (Pl.IVB). She is seated in lalitasana posture with right leg pendant over a double petalled lotus pedestal. She is holding a baby in her left hand while a bunch of mangoes in the right leg. She is bedecked with various ornaments and her elder son is seen standing on the right side of her. A mango tree studded with lots of mangoes is depicted at the back side of the deity. Her lanchana lion is seen below her pedestal. The Tirthankara Neminatha is depicted in dhyanamudra over a lotus pedestal at the upper part of the stone slab. His lanchana wheel is carved at the center of his lotus pedestal and is flanked by chauri bearers on the either side.

Another fragmented image of Ambika and Yaksha Gomedha along with their Tirthankara Neminatha is also found in Chatesvara temple complex.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

B. Tripathy, “Jaina Antiquities found at Ada”, in H.C. Panda (ed.), Proceedings of Orissa History Congress, XIX Annual Session, Bhubaneswar,1994, pp.30-35.

[2]:

Ibid.

[3]:

U.R. Das, “Jaina Antiquities at Ada, District Balesore”, in P.K. Gan (ed.), The History and Archaeological importance in Northern Orissa, Mayurbhanj, Orissa, 2006, pp.46-52.