Jaina Sculptures In Bharata Kala Bhavan

This document is an excerpt from a paper titled "Jaina Sculptures in Bharat Kala Bhavan" by Kamal Giri, focusing on the Jaina stone sculptures housed in the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum at Banaras Hindu University. The paper details various Jaina sculptures, primarily from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, spanning from the Kushan period to medieval times.

Key highlights from the text include:

• Collection Overview: The Bharat Kala Bhavan collection includes Jaina sculptures in stone and metal, with this paper concentrating on stone. The sculptures represent a long historical period and originate mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. While a few Kushan Jina heads are present, the majority are figures of Jinas and Yakshis from the Gupta to medieval periods.
• Jina Representation: Out of 27 Jina images, four are "caumukhi" (four-faced) and the rest are single figures. At least eight of the traditional 24 Jinas are represented, including Rishabha, Ajitanatha, Suparshvanatha, Chandraprabha, Shantinatha, Aristanemi, Parshvanatha, and Vardhamana Mahavira.
• Focus on Rishabha: The collection features eleven separate figures of Jina Rishabha, the first Tirthankara, who was held in high esteem across Jain sects. The earliest Rishabha image dates to the 8th-9th century AD from South India. Other Rishabha figures are from the 10th-11th century AD, likely from Uttar Pradesh or Madhya Pradesh, displaying typical iconographic features like the bull cognizance, Kayotsarga mudra, and accompaniments like Yakshas and Yakshis.
• Specific Jina Figures:
  • Ajitanatha: A small stele from the early 6th century AD depicts Ajitanatha seated in dhyana-mudra, with elephant cognizance, suggesting possible Svetambara affiliation due to its early date.
  • Suparshvanatha: A mutilated head from Rajghat, Varanasi, dating to the 10th century AD, is canopied by a seven-hooded cobra.
  • Chandraprabha: A solitary basalt figure from the 11th-12th century AD, possibly from Bihar, shows Chandraprabha seated with his crescent moon cognizance.
  • Shantinatha: A small black stone image from the 9th century AD depicts Shantinatha standing in Kayotsarga mudra, with deer cognizance.
  • Aristanemi (Neminatha): A sandstone figure from Rajghat, Varanasi, dated to the 7th century AD, is believed to represent Aristanemi, identified by the Yakshi-Yaksa figures (Sarvanubhuti and Ambika) and a tree possibly representing a palm tree.
  • Parshvanatha: The museum has four detached heads and one full figure of Parshvanatha. Two heads are from the Kushan period, identified with the Svetambara sect. Parshvanatha is consistently depicted with a seven-hooded snake canopy.
  • Mahavira: A solitary figure from Varanasi, dating to the Gupta period, is significant as the second earliest Jina image showing cognizance (lions flanking the dharma-chakra).
• Unidentified Jina Figures: Three Jina figures are unidentified due to the absence of cognizances, dating from the 9th to 13th centuries AD. One of these figures is notable for its depiction of eight two-armed goddesses in lalitasana, possibly representing Ashtamatrikas, an association with Jain images that is otherwise rare.
• Jina Caumukhi (Pratima Sarvatobhadrika): The museum has four examples of these four-faced Jina images, dating from the 7th to 11th centuries AD. These figures, carved in buff sandstone, show sky-clad Jinas in Kayotsarga mudra. Some of these exhibit multiple Jina figures, and two are identifiable as Rishabhanatha and Parshvanatha based on their distinguishing marks.
• Cakreshvari: A solitary figure of Chakreshvari, the Yakshi of Rishabhanatha, is dated to the 10th century AD and styled in the Cedi country of Madhya Pradesh. The eight-armed goddess rides a Garuda and is depicted with various attributes.
• Architectural Fragments: The museum also holds four architectural fragments, mostly featuring Jina figures. These include parts of pilasters and a pillar, some of which depict multiple Jinas, Ambika Yakshi, and Jain couples. One fragment is particularly important for its detailed depiction of Ambika and a possible narrative scene.

The paper also includes notes and references, citing publications by U.P. Shah and M.N.P. Tiwari concerning Jaina images in the Bharat Kala Bhavan. The plates accompanying the text (though not provided in full here) are referred to for visual documentation of the sculptures discussed.