Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal
by Shubha Majumder | 2017 | 147,217 words
This page relates ‘Jain images from Ancient Bengal (Introduction)� of the study on the Jain Remains of Ancient Bengal based on the fields of Geography, Archaeology, Art and Iconography. Jainism represents a way of life incorporating non-violence and approaches religion from humanitarian viewpoint. Ancient Bengal comprises modern West Bengal and the Republic of Bangladesh, Eastern India. Here, Jainism was allowed to flourish from the pre-Christian times up until the 10th century CE, along with Buddhism.
Jain images from Ancient Bengal (Introduction)
It is apparent from the database that the most popular °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ are Ṛṣ²¹²ú³ó²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ ±ÊÄå°ùÅ›±¹²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ and ²Ñ²¹³óÄ屹ī°ù²¹. However, the images of ´¡Âá¾±³Ù²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹, Candraprava, ÅšÄå²Ô³Ù¾±²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹, ²Ñ²¹±ô±ô¾±²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ and ±·±ð³¾¾±²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹ are also found in good numbers. The images of all the °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ are cast into a uniform mould and reveal a stereotyped character. The legends of their births, renunciation and salvation are similar, excepting the sixteen dreams of their mothers, ±ôÄåñ³¦³ó²¹²Ô²¹²õ, ³Û²¹°ìá¹£a²õ and ³Û²¹°ìá¹£iṇīs etc. In our present study area °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ are found mostly with out the depictions of ³Û²¹°ìá¹£a²õ and ³Û²¹°ìá¹£iṇīs in their pedestal. However, ±ôÄåñ³¦³ó²¹²Ô²¹²õ are always present in the centre of the pedestal except the image of °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ ±ÊÄå°ùÅ›±¹²¹²ÔÄå³Ù³ó²¹. The present chapter delineates the iconographic characteristics of the Jain sculptural specimens reported and documented from the different parts of the present study region.
The °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ both in the °ìÄå²â´Ç³Ù²õ²¹°ù²µ²¹ and »å³ó²âÄå²Ô²¹²õ²¹²Ô²¹ [»å³ó²âÄå²ÔÄå²õ²¹²Ô²¹?] posture are found from our study area of these varieties:
1. Single depiction of °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹
2. Dvi-³ÙÄ«°ù³Ù³ó¾±°ì²¹
3. ±Ê²¹Ã±³¦²¹-³ÙÄ«°ù³Ù³ó¾±°ì²¹
4. Caubisi
5. °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ with Planetary deities
-) Planetary deities depicted on the pedestal
-) Planetary deities depicted on both sides of the °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹
-) Planetary deities depicted on both the back-slab and the pedestal
6. °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ with ¶Ù¾±°ì±èÄå±ô²¹²õ
-) ¶Ù¾±°ì±èÄå±ô²¹²õ depicted on both sides of the °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ
-) ¶Ù¾±°ì±èÄå±ô²¹²õ depicted on top of the back-slab
7. °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹ with miniature °ÕÄ«°ù³Ù³ó²¹á¹…k²¹°ù²¹²õ and Planetary deities/ ¶Ù¾±°ì±èÄå±ô²¹²õ or both