Jaina Remains at Jamunda Village

Jamunda is located near Jeypore town. Several Jaina sculptures have been reported from the village out of which seven images are displayed in the District Museum, Jeypore, while six images (Pls.LXXXIIIB-LXXXIVB) are housed in recently constructed sculpture shed near the village^[1]. The descriptions about the images kept in the sculpture shed at Jamunda are as follows:-

Risabhanatha:

Risabhanatha being the mulanayaka is one of the amazing images in Odishan Jaina art depicting twenty four Tirthankara in a common slab along with their respective lanchanas.The twenty three Tirthankara images around him (eleven on each side and one on lower side) are depicted of which except Neminatha and Parsvanatha all are found seated in dhyanamudra. Bedecked chauri bearers are found flanking Neminatha and Parsvanatha at the bottom. The mulanayaka Risabhanatha is carved standing in kayotsarga posture over a lotus pedestal and below which two Sasanadevis are represented, a rare feature in Jaina sculptures of Odisha. He is shown with heavenly musicians and elephant on the top of the slab, chhatravali and lotus shaped halo over the head. He has jata hair styles of which a few strands are fallen up to his shoulders. His lanchana bull is also noticed in a diminutive size at the lotus pedestal.

The Sasanadevi is depicted below the Risabhanatha are Chakresvari and Ambika. Chakresvari is seated in padmasana over Garuda’s in stretched hands and holds disc and noose in upper hands and lower hands in varadamudras. On the Other hand, the Sasanadevi Ambika is seated in lalitasana, her lanchana bull is shown below her left leg. She holds a baby in her left lap, a bunch of mangoes in the right hand.

Chandrapra bha: The image of Chandraprabha is carved standing in kayotsarga posture over a double petalled lotus pedestal. He is flanked by bejeweled chauri bearers on both sides at the bottom. His lanchana crescent moon is carved below his feet in the center of the lotus pedestal. The Yaksha and Yakshi of Ajitanatha i.e. Mahayaksha and Ajitabala are depicted on either side of the lotus pedestal. The Mahayaksha is seated in maharajalilasana keeping left hand over left thigh and right hand holds an indistinct object. While the Yakshi is seated in padmasana holding a lotus in the left hand and right hand in varada mudra. The image is broken on the top. The remaining portion depicts the Tirthankara has long ear lobe, has a circular halo decorated with lotus flower design with beaded boarder. A man is shown playing with flute on the left side of the Tirthankara, above the chauri bearer.

Parsvanatha:

The image of Parsvanatha carved seated in dhyanamudra over the coils of a snake visible over the lotus pedestal whose seven hoods are depicted over the head of the Tirthankara. A chhatra flanked by branches of kevala tree, human figure playing with conch and elephant motif are shown over his snake canopy. He is displayed with a pair of garland bearer below the elephant motif and makara-mukha near his shoulder. The image is flanked by chauri bearers, kneeling devotees with folded hands at the bottom. The space below the pedestal replete with the four armed Sasanadevi in the center. She is flanked by crouching lions and kneeling devotees with folded hands.

Mahavira:

The sculpture of Mahavira in dhyanamudra seated over a loin cloth below which a couch is marked. His lanchana lion is shown at the hanging portion of the loin cloth in a diminutive size. He is flanked by well decked chauri bearers on either side. A multi circle halo with beaded and diamond shaped design is shown behind his head. He has long ear lobe and curly hair. The halo is crowned by a well decorated chhatra with a long shaft and surmounted by branches of kevala tree. A pair of garland bearers and an elephant motif is shown on either side of the image. Makara-mukhas are found on either side just above the shoulder of the Tirthankara. The pedestal below the Tirthankaras seat is replete with astagrahas and a female devotee at the upper panel and the four armed Sasanadevi flanked by lions is also carved in the lower panel of the pedestal. She holds a noose and a sword on the upper left and right hand respectively while the lower left hand holds a pitcher, the lower right hand displays in varadamudra. The Yaksha of Mahavira is also shown in maharajalilasana holding a sword in the right hand and an indistinct object on the left hand placed on the extreme right corner of the stone slab at the bottom. Opposite to it a devotee with folded hands is also noticed.

Another image of Mahavira in dhyanamudra analogous to the above mentioned image is found preserved with minor variations. His lanchana lion and the makara-mukha are absent here. The halo is decorated with a full blossomed lotus flower with beaded design. Astagrahas, Yaksha and Yakshi of Mahavira, kneeling devotee and vigorous lions are depicted at the same place as described in the above mentioned image.

Chakresvari:

Small image of Jaina Sasanadevi Chakresvari with twelve (?) armed is found seated in dhyanamudra. The image is badly defaced one. Some of her attributes are identifiable viz., pitcher, goad, sword and one hand in varadamudra etc.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

J.K. Patnaik and S.K. Kar, op.cit., pp.167-168.