Jaina Sculptures from Anai-Jambad
By Pratip Kumar Mitra
Summary
This article documents a set of Jain sculptures found at the village of Anai‑Jambad (also known as Mahadev Berra) in Purulia district of West Bengal. In a small modern temple built by the Sri Sarak Jain Samiti, local devotees worship five beautifully preserved stone images of Tirthankarashttps://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/places-of-interest/rediscover-purulias-timeless-heritage#:~:text=My%20third%20day%20starts%20with,photographs%20and%20record%20the%20rituals. The sculptures are carved in chlorite or black stone and show the Jinas either standing in kāyotsarga or sitting in padmāsana on lotus thrones. Each figure is identified by its lanchana (emblem) carved on the pedestal: a crescent moon for Candraprabha, a bull for Ṛṣabhanātha, a multi‑hooded serpent for Pārśvanātha and so on. The article describes the iconography of each image. Candraprabha stands rigidly with seven serpent hoods arching above his head; Ṛṣabhanātha sits cross‑legged with a luxuriant halo; Pārśvanātha stands under a nāga canopy with attendant figures and dharmacakra. The author classifies the images into two stylistic groups. The first group, including Candraprabha and Ṛṣabhanātha, exhibits slender bodies, schematic haloes and restrained ornamentation reminiscent of early Pāla art. The second group, represented by Pārśvanātha and another unidentified Tirthankara, shows more rounded physiques, deeper carving and elaborate serpent hoods. By comparing these sculptures with Jain icons from Bihar and Odisha, the article dates them to the late tenth or early eleventh century. The site’s location on a trade route between Bengal and Odisha and surviving inscriptions support this chronology. The survival of multiple Tirthankara images in one shrine indicates that Anai‑Jambad once housed a flourishing Jain community. The variety of images – from seated Ṛṣabhanātha to standing Pārśvanātha – demonstrates the range of iconographic preferences within a single settlement, while the use of chlorite stone connects these works to local quarrying traditions and to contemporaneous Pāla‑school sculptures. In addition to stylistic analysis, the article surveys the surrounding archaeological context. Local tradition speaks of ruined Jain temples and scattered architectural fragments in nearby fields. The author calls for systematic exploration and conservation, warning that some stones have been appropriated into Hindu shrines. He notes that villagers continue to worship the Jinas alongside Hindu deities, reflecting the syncretic religious landscape. By documenting measurements, iconographic details and stylistic affinities, the article preserves knowledge of these sculptures for future study. These images offer insight into the local adaptation of Jain iconography and the trade networks that supported temple building. The Anai‑Jambad images, though weathered, testify to the once‑vibrant Jain presence in western Bengal and enrich our understanding of regional variations in Jain art.
Conclusion
The description of Anai‑Jambad’s Jain sculptures underscores their artistic and historical value. Carved between the tenth and eleventh centuries, the images illustrate how Jain iconography in Bengal incorporated Pāla stylistic elements while retaining distinctive identifiers like lanchanas and serpent hoods. Their preservation in a modern village temple and continued veneration by locals show the enduring cultural memory of Jainism in Purulia. By drawing attention to these statues and advocating further fieldwork, the article contributes to the preservation of regional heritage and deepens our appreciation of the diversity of Jain art in eastern India.