Jaina Antiquities in Jagatsinghpur District (Introduction)

Jagatsinghpur, the smallest district of Odisha in dimension located at 19⁰ 58' and 20⁰ 23' north latitude and 86⁰ 03'and 86⁰ 45' east longitude. Its boundary is marked by the beautiful coastline of Bay of Bengal in the east and the districts of Cuttack in the west, Kendrapara in the north and Puri in the south. Jagatsinghpur was created as a new district of Odisha in 1993 prior to it was a sub-division of Cuttack district^[1].

The name Jagatsinghpur was earlier known as Hariharapur which was a famous mint town during the Mughal period located on the banks of the river Alaka^[2]. The sacred rivers such as Mahanadi, Devi and Alaka flow throughout the district and divide the district in its length and breadth, the valleys contain a large number of archaeological sites. The region is very rich in archaeological remains and monuments including various religious and secular groups such as Buddhism, Jainism, Saivism, Skatism, Vaishnavism and Islamism.

A large numbers of temples, monuments and sculptures are noticed in this district. The archaeological remains include Bhubaneswar Mahadeva temple at Balia (8^th /9^th century CE), Trilochaneswara temple at Kundeswara (11^th -12^th centuries CE), Lokanatha temple at Paradipgarha, the temple of Bhagabati at Parahat (13^th century CE), Panchapandaveswara a temple at Daraba (13^th century CE) etc. indicates the rich temple building activities in medieval period.^[3]

In additions, the Sakta images are also found on the bank of river Alaka and Mahanadi viz., an eight armed Mahisasuramardini from Mudupur, the images of seated Durga, Mahisasuramardini and Haraparbati found in Trilochaneswar temple, four images of Panchavarahis from Satbhaya, six matrika images from Sathalpura, the images of Gajalaksmi, Haraparbati and the ten armed Mahisasuramardini images found in the present temple of Kutamacandi, ten armed Durga and an eight armed Durga image from Erasama, Mahisasuramardini from Garama, image of Chamunda at Ebirisingh in Erasama region, ten armed Mahisasuramardini image from Paradipgarh are among the important ones. Besides, the temples relate with the sakti include the Sarala temple at Jhankada is one of the ten Saktipithas in Odisha and Kutumachandi temple at Debidola.

Buddhism also flourished in Jagatsinghpur district which evidenced from Buddhist sculptures from Dihasahi, Kaduapara, Kalyanpur, Kundeswara, Mudupur, Nasik-Kotian, Tarpur and Paradipagarh etc.

Jainism like other religious faith also has a great footing in this district. The Jaina antiquities are found at the places like Nuadhana, Sahada, Nasik, Sujanga, Manapur-Ghadama and Kundeswra. These are discussed as follows:-

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

L. Mohanty and et al., op.cit., pp.115-118.

[2]:

R.P. Mohapatra, op.cit., 1986, p.44.

[3]:

Ibid.