Bahubalin of South India and West India—A Comparative Study

Summary

B.N. Kumaran and Saranya Kumaran explore the revered figure of Bahubalin (Bahubali) and compare how South Indian and West Indian Jain communities depict him in sculpture and literature. According to Jain tradition, Bahubali, the son of the first Tīrthaṅkara Rishabhanatha, renounced his kingdom and meditated motionless in the standing ‘kayotsarga’ posture for a year. Climbing plants grew around his legs during his meditation; after twelve years of asceticism he attained omnisciencehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahubali#:~:text=Bahubali%20%28IAST%20%3A%20B%C4%81hubal%C4%AB%2C%20lit,108 and eventually liberationhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahubali#:~:text=He%20is%20said%20to%20have,17%20%5D%20As. Although not a Tīrthaṅkara, he is revered as the first Siddha and worshipped as a Mūla Nayaka in many temples. The authors trace how stories of Bahubali spread from canonical sources like the Adipurana to regional narratives and shaped Jain art. In South India, monumental monolithic statues at Śravaṇa Beḷagoḷa, Karkala, Dharmasthala, Venur and other sites depict Bahubali standing nude in kayotsarga with creepers twining around his body, ants’ mounds at his feet and serene expressions. The sculptural form emphasises renunciation and immobility; the hair is often matted in curly locks and a triple umbrella or halo may be absent. South Indian artisans carve delicate vine tendrils around the arms and legs and include attendant figures pulling away creepers, symbolising liberation. By contrast, West Indian images—primarily reliefs carved in temples of Gujarat and Rajasthan—often portray dynamic scenes from Bahubali’s life. They show him wrestling with his brother Bharata or engaged in the three contests (eye-fight, water-fight and wrestling) preceding his renunciation. West Indian sculptures usually include a single parasol, a prabhavali behind the head and intricate vine patterns; Bahubali may be shown with a moustache or with curls arranged differently. The authors argue that West Indian artists emphasised narrative episodes and regional aesthetics, whereas South Indian sculptors focused on meditative stillness and monumental scale. Differences in sectarian practice (Digambara in the South, Śvetāmbara in the West) influenced these variations—South Indian Digambara temples emphasise nudity and asceticism, while Western Śvetāmbara communities depict Bahubali clothed. The article also places Bahubali’s iconography within broader cultural contexts. Jain communities commissioned colossal statues not only as devotional images but also as demonstrations of religious power and artistic patronage. The authors note that Bahubali’s image underscores how an ordinary kevalin became an object of worship, illustrating Jain views on the potential for liberation and the embodiment of spiritual ideals in human form. Through comparative study, they show how regional styles, historical patronage and sectarian beliefs shaped the portrayal of Bahubali across India.