Jaina Antiquities in Choudwar (Cuttack)

Jainism is a splendid living tradition with a well defined world view, metaphysics, code of ethics and base on non violence, truth and righteous conduct^[1]. In Odisha Jainism flourished along with Buddhism and Hinduism from its early days till at least the medieval period as attested by literary and archaeological sources. Archaeological evidence leaves no doubt that Jainism flourished in Odisha during the reign of emperor Kharavela^[2] in 1^st century BCE and inspired the Kalingan sculptor to create rare works of art. Therefore the sculptural heritage of the religion is found in different parts of Odisha, among which undivided Cuttack district, is a pioneer region having many Jaina remains.

Choudwar^[3], on the left side of N.H-5, situated on the left bank of the river Birupa in Cuttack district, is an important Jaina center of Odisha. It is about 2km from the Manguli Chowk on N.H-5. One of the five great forts (panchakatakas) built by Chodagangadeva and according to the tradition, Choudwar was the earliest capital of the Gangas in Odisha from which Anangabhimadeva-III transferred it to the place known as Barabati^[4]. This place also served as the capital city of Somavamsis^[5]. It is noteworthy to mention that the Somavamsis were not only the patrons of Saivism but they also showed their tolerance to other religion. This is evidenced from the sculptural remains found throughout the state and the caves commissioned by the Somavamsi Kings at Udayagiri and Khandagiri hillocks^[6]. Though, Choudwar was the capital city of the Somavamsis, it also reveals some Jaina sculptural remains in the locality. Along with a number of Buddhist and Brahmanical sculptures and monuments, Jaina antiquarian remains are found either lying under tree or being worshipped as Hindu deities.

Jaina Antiquities at Servants of India Society

Three Jaina Tirthankara images (Pls.XXXVA-XXXVC) noticed in a Siva temple^[7] are located within the premises of Servants of India Society in Ward No.4 of Choudwar Municipality area.

Risabhanatha:

The temple is recently built but the deities inside the sanctum of the temple are of much earlier date. It preserves two Risabhanatha images^[8] which are worshipped as Lord Siva. Both the images are coloured with oil paint as like lord Siva and the larger sculpture’s (worshipped as the presiding deity) genital organ is chopped of and a snake hood is added on his head. This is an image of Risab hanatha, the first Jaina Tirthankara in kayotsarga posture and measures 65cm in height and 37cm in width. The pedestal of the image shows his lanchana bull and his Sasanadevi four armed Chakresvari^[9]. In the upper right hand the Sasanadevi holds a wheel, while in upper left hand has a conch. The lower right hand in varadamudra and the lower left hand is not clearly visible. Devotees are sitting in front of a consecrated book kept in a tripod is also depicted at the base.

In the proximity of the main image, the small but stunning Risabhanatha (17x08cm) image attached to the rear wall of the shrine. The stone slab depicted twenty three Tirthankara around the mulanayaka image of Risabhanatha. The image stands on a lotus pedestal on which a small bull figurine is carved. The image is flanked by two chauri bearers at the bottom and flying vidyadharas with garlands and invisible hands playing with cymbals at the top. His hair is arranged in the jata mukuta style and a few strands of which fall on the shoulders. Another headless Tirthankara image is kept in the outer niches of the shrine. A head of a Brahmanical deity having karanda mukuta is placed over the head less Tirthankara image.

Jaina images in the House of Sri Sarat Chandra Behera

A bust portion of a Tirthankara image (Pl.XXXVIA) is noticed in front of the house of Sri Sarat Chandra Behera, a resident of Ward No.4 of Choudwar. The upper half portion of the image is only in existence while the lower part is missing now. He has curly hair, elongated ear and attention-grabbing engraved elliptical prabhamandala at the back. A trilinear umbrella surmounted by branches of a kevala tree, are also seen above the head of Tirthankara. The fragmented image surro unded by seated Tirthankara images (existing three in number), flying vidyadharas and cymbals played by indiscernible hands.

Jaina images, Sahara Sahi

In Sahara Sahi, just opposite to the Municipal High School in Ward No.4, a Tirthankara image is worshipped as Gramadevati Kalika. The image is identified as a Parsvanatha image^[10] standing in kayotsarga posture. Its upper half of the body is missing but the coil of snake at the back side of his body is clearly seen. A bust portion of an Ambika image in mutilated condition is also noticed here. It is very difficult to identify it as oil and vermillion is regularly applied by the villagers.

Tirthankara images in front of the House of Sri Kasinatha Mallick

A stone slab containing three Tirthankara images in kayotsarga posture are attached to a Brundabati (tulasi chaunra) (Pl.XXXVIB), worhipped as Mangala deity, is noticed in front of the house of Sri Kasinatha Mallick, a resident of Brahmana sahi, Ward No.5 of Choudwar. The images are unfinished and not bear any lanchana.

Jaina images, Matha Sahi

In Matha Sahi particularly in a matha, a large number of images of Buddhist, Hindu and Jaina are worshipped as Brahmanical deities. Sudama Nayak, a villager is now act as custodian of the matha. Originally the sculptures were collected from nearby site by late Zamindar Krishnachandra Mangaraj. Among these sculptures three are of Jaina affiliation and identified as an image of Risabhanatha and two Ambika images (Pl.XXXVIC). All the images are coloured with oil paint except the Ambika image made of bronze.

Risabhanatha:

The image of Risabhanatha stands on kayotsarga pose on lotus pedestal, below which his lanchana bull is depicted. He is flanked by two chauri bearers at the bottom and astagrahas on the top. Thus the image can be safely dated to the 9^th century CE.

Ambika with Yaksha Gomedha:

The image of Ambika with Yaksha Gomedha is depicted in a single stone slab. They are seated under a tree with a common lotus pedestal in ardhaparyankasana having a bunch of corn in their respective right hands and left hand kept over the thigh touching the lotus. Both of them are decked with rich costumes and ornaments. As like the Ambika image, seven numbers of male devotees are depicted on the pedestal. A child is seen enjoying swing in a tree, which is depicted behind the Yaksha and Yakshi figures. Above the tree, an image of Risabhanatha is carved in yogasana posture with his usual lanchana bull and chauri bearers, garland holders, drums and cymbals played with heavenly hands at the top. The image is similar with the image of Ambika preserved in Ayodhya Museum, Balasore in respect to art and iconography.^[11]

Ambika:

An enchanting bronze image of Ambika was also found under worship. It is a very small figure measuring about 10cm. The Sasanadevi Ambika^[12] stands on a lotus pedestal over a four legged high pedestal. A lion figure is also exhibited on the pedestal as her lanchana. She holds a bunch of mangoes in her left hand along with a child in the left lap and in right hand she holds the left hand of another child standing on right side to her. The elliptical aura starts from the base of the pedestal up to the head of the image over which a Tirthankara image is found in dhyanamudra.

Risabhanatha image, Kapalesvara Temple

An exquisitely carved Risabhanatha image is found in the premises of Kapalesvara temple (Pl.XXXVIIA), half a kilometer away from Choudwar Municipality High School. The image is worshipped as Baba Akhandala Mani, in a recently built pidha temple. The Tirthankara image stands in kayotsarga posture over

a lotus pedestal, which is supported by two rampart lion facing towards opposite direction. In between the rampart lions, kneeling devotees are also seen in folded hands. The Tirthankara image is flanked by two chauri bearers standing in tribhanga posture. The upper half portion of the image is represented with astagrahas and surmounted by flying garland bearers and cymbals played with invisible hands. The Tirthankara has jatamukuta and few strands of his hair falls upon his shoulder. A well decorated trefoil halo is noticed behind the image and surmounted by the umbrella and the kevala tree.

Tirthankara image, Nuagaon

A similar image having all these features except two i.e. rampart lion and falling of hair strands upon the shoulder is found in the village Nuagaon. The lower portion of the image is partially broken which seems to be depicted the lanchana. The image is now worshipped as navagraha image (Pl.XXXVD) and kept inside the Bhagavata Tungi, in the middle of the village.

Parsvanatha image, Bharandi

Bharandi, is located half a kilometre away from the village Nuagaon. A fragmentary image Parsvanatha (Pl.XXXVIIB) kept under a pipal tree near a matha is noticed. The image is broken into two pieces. Another such broken Parsvanatha image is also noticed in the Maninagesvara temple complex. The image is kept under a banyan tree. A head portion of a Tirthankara image is also noticed at Ambilijhari, in Dalijoda Reserve Forest of Mangarajpur Gramyapanchayat.

Titirthi image, Radhabhallva Temple

Three Jaina Tirthankara images, represented in a single stone slab (19x15x6cm) are worshipped as Trinatha in the Radhabhallva temple at the TPM Chowk in Choudwar (Pl.XXXVIIC). The pedestal of the image is in obliterated condition. So their lanchana could not be ascertained. But on the basis of hair style, the central image can be identified as Risabhanatha. Bira Kishore Mohapatra, the priest now looks after the temple.

Jaina images, Chatesvara Temple

Number of images of different faiths such as Brahmanical, Buddhist and Jaina are recovered from a stepped well while cleaning operation was carried out by the sevayatas of Chatesvara temple. An image of Ambika with Yaksha Gomedha (Pl.XXXVIID) in a single stone slab (35x15x8cm) was also found among the hoard. The image is partially defaced at the top but have female attendants at the base. This image is quite akin to the image of Ambika preserved in Baripada Museum in respect to size, art and iconography.^[13]

An image of Ambika with Yaksha Gomedha (30x16x6cm) is also noticed at the sanctum of the Gandharavanatha temple at Chitresvara in Choudwar (Pl.XXXVIIIA). Stylistically, it resembles with the Ambika image of the Matha Sahi.

Eighteen Jain sculptures are found in and around the Choudwar area and among them five are of Risabhanatha, five of Ambika, three of Parsvanatha, one of votive temple and four of defaced images. On the basis of iconographical features and raw materials, the sculptures can be dated back to the Somavamsis period i.e. circa 9^th-11th centuries CE. A few other Jaina sculptural remains may come to notice if extensive exploration work is undertaken.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

U.P. Saha, Studies in Jaina Art, Banaras, 1955.

[2]:

J. Patnaik, op.cit., 1977, pp. 307-317.

[3]:

N.C. Behuria, op.cit., 1992.

[4]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1986, pp. 19-23.

[5]:

K.C.Panigrahi, op.cit., 1981, p. 452.

[6]:

D. Mitra, Udayagiri and Khandagiri, New Delhi, 1992, pp.3-7.

[7]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1984, p.89.

[8]:

R.S. Gupte, Iconography of the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, Bombay, 1980, pp.174-185.

[9]:

S. Nagar, Iconography of Jaina Deities, Vol.I, Delhi, 1999, pp.252-258.

[10]:

Ibid., pp.134-147.

[11]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1984, pp. 107-108.

[12]:

M.N.P. Tiwary, Ambika in Jaina Art and Literature, New Delhi, 1989, pp.25-33.

[13]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1984 pp.113-117.