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...

The Jaina Temple of Choudhury Bazar, Cuttack City

The Jaina temple at Choudhury Bazar[1] has a rekha vimana and pidha jagamohana of Kalingan School of architecture. A small chamber between the temple and jagamohana serves the purpose of antarala and has a pidha superstructure. Each shrines from jagamohana to the sanctum sanctorum act as a jinalaya viz., Padmaprabhu jinalaya, Parsvanatha jinalaya and Chandraprabhu jinalaya. It is situated within a spacious compound and having dvajastamba at the entrance. The temple faces east but the major entrance is from the north door of the jagamohana.

The main temple is in rekha order and stands over a raised plinth. The temple is in pancharatha on plan and panchanga bada in elevation. The temple has a thick coat of lime plaster and stucco figures are found in few places. The jagamohana had originally four openings but the one to the south is closed converted to a jinalaya i.e. Padmaprabhu jinalaya for preservation for a few Jaina relics (Pls.XVIIIA-XXIIB). The western openings lead to the sanctum. The other two on the east and north are used for entry and exists for the devotees. The lintel of the door-jambs displays the figure of a seated Parsvanatha flanked by two attendants instead of the conventional navagrahas and Gaja-Lakshmi figure found in Hindu religious shrine.

Risabhanatha images:

Five Risabhanatha images of different dimension are found in the temple. They are all standing in kayotsarga posture on lotus pedestals. Flying garland bearers, chauri bearers and cymbals played with imperceptible hands are placed in their usual position. Among five sculptures of Risabhanatha, two depict astagrahas and in one image few strands of hair of Tirthankara fall over his shoulder.

Risabhanatha and Mahavira:

The figures of Risabhanatha and Mahavira are carved on a common slab with separate lotus pedestal representing bull and lion as their respective lanchanas. They are flanked by chauri bearers on the pedestal and flying figures with garland on the top. The image surmounted by trilinear umbrellas, kevala trees, circular hallow and cymbals played with invisible hands. Kneeling devotees at the base of the pedestal are engraved.

Padmaprabha:

The image of Padmaprabha is placed in the central niche of the inner wall of the jagamohana. The Tirthankara stands in kayotsarga posture on lotus pedestal, flanked by chauri bearers on either side. The upper part of the figure is flanked by representation of lotus flower, flying figures with garlands and cymbals played in hands. The trilinear umbrella over head is surmounted by the kevala tree and a faint trace of halo is visible behind his head. The figure is carved in chlorite stone quite similar to the artistic finish of Khiching sculptures.

Santinatha:

A beautiful Santinatha image is found inside the temple in kayotsarga posture over a lotus pedestal. His usual lanchana deer is depicted on the base of the pedestal and flanked by two spirited lions and number of kneeling devotees in folded hands. The chauri bearers on elephant and astagrahas in sitting posture flanked the Tirthankara on either side. Flying gandharvas with garlands, cymbals and drums played in hands are found on the top portion of the image. The Tirthankara has curly hair and behind it a lavishly decorated circular halo is depicted. The trilinear umbrella surmounted by kevala tree is found above the head of Tirthankara.

Parsvanatha:

Four beautiful Parsvanatha images of different dimension are also kept inside the temple. They have similar feature except in two Tirthankara images which depict astagrahas in one image and four seated Tirthankara images on either side of the Parsvanatha in another image.

The general features of the images include kayotsarga posture with a canopy of seven hooded snake above the head. Coils of snake are shown on the back. The pedestal containing devotees of nagas and nagakanyas in folded hands flanked by two spirited lions. Flying garlands in hands, lotus and champak flowers, cymbals and drums played with hands are noticed on either side of the image at the top.

Unidentified Tirthankara image:

A figure of Tirthankara is found in kayotsarga pose over a lotus pedestal with kevala tree, umbrella, flying gandharvas with garlands and cymbals played in hands. The chauri bearers and astagrahas are flanked the figure on either side. The conventional lanchana of the figure is missing in the pedestal.

Ganadharas and Purvadharas:

A stone slab containing 153 standing ganadharas and purvadharas in nine rows is kept near the chaumukha found near the pedestal of the main temple. A seated Risabhanatha figure on the top of the stone slab is identified. His lanchana bull is depicted on the lotus pedestal over which the Tirthankaras seated and he is flanked by chauri bearers on either side.

Chaumukhas:

Two chaumukhas containing standing figures of Risabhanatha, Santinatha, Mahavira and Parsvanatha on their niches of cardinal direction are kept on the sanctum. They are kept near the pedestal of the main temple. The chaumukhas are designed in the shape of pidha mundis of Odishan variety with crowning amlaka sila at their top. The lanchanas of the Tirthankaras carved below the pedestal respectively.

Besides the above mentioned sculptures and chaumukhas, the temple preserves a large number of newly built marble, brass and silver sculptures which are donated by Jaina devotees and a number of Yantra mandalas viz., Rishi Mandala Yantra, Sarva Siddhi Yantra, Jinavani Yantra etc. All are found in good state of preservation.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

K.C. Panigrahi, History of Orissa, Cuttack, 1981, pp. 453-454.

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