JAIN SCULPTURE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art & Culture)

Context: Three Jain sculptures and dated to around 11th century CE were discovered in Varuna village in Mysuru district.

oThe entire belt comprising Varuna, Varakodu, Vajamangala etc were thriving Jain centres.

Jain Sculpture

• About: These are the images depicting Tirthankaras (teaching gods). These images are worshiped by the followers of Jainism.
• Example: Giant rock-cut statues of Jain Tirthankaras are carved in the Gopachal Hill, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
• Statues: Gometeshwara/Bahubali Statue- Shravanabelagola, Karnataka, Statue of Ahimsa(Rishabnatha)- Mangi-Tungi hills, Maharashtra.

Jain vs Buddhist Iconography

• About: The Jain idols are males depicted in both sitting and standing postures. The tīrthaṅkarasare represented either Padmasana (seated in yoga posture) or standing in the Kayotsarga posture.

oA Buddhist image can be in one of several mudras. However the Jain tirthankara images can only be in one of the two format. 

• In Padmasana: The statues of a Jina and a Buddha can be similar.