JAIN
TEMPLES
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KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT RELEASES RS. 25 CRORES FOR
SHRAVANBELGOLA
Karnataka government has released Rs 25 crores for
creation of permanent infrastructure for the 2006 mega religious event -
Mahamastakabhisheka - to be held at the famous Jain pilgrim town of
Sravanabelagola in Hassan district. Speaking to reporters after chairing a high
level meeting of the 'Mahamastakabhisheka' committee here, Chief Minister N.
Dharam Singh said the state has decided to build a 50-bed hospital and a 'yatri
nivas' to provide accommodation to devotees in Shravanabelagola. Roads would be
improved and an air strip be constructed at Hassan to facilitate air links for
those attending the function held once in twelve years, Singh said. Centre has
also agreed to provide Rs 3 crores. The state government has prepared a Rs 54
crore estimate and expects the expenditure to touch upto Rs 100 crore for the
event.
STATUE OF GOMATESHWAR AT SHRAVANBELGOLA AS ONE OF THE
NEW SEVEN WONDERS
www.new7wonders.com
is electing new 7 wonders of the world and in their list they have included the
statue of Gomateshwar (Bahubali) at Shravanbelgola. Your vote will count a lot.
Please vote for it. You can find it at the nominee list on the website.
JAIN RELICS FOUND IN PURULIA DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL
Of all the places where relics of ancient Jain monuments
can be found in the state, Pakbirra, a remote village in Purulia seems to be
the place most sprinkled with them. Around 56 km from Purulia town and situated
near the western border of Bankura, Pakbirra has an undulated landscape,
surrounded by distant hills and folds. Crumbling shrines, decrepit sculptures
and images strewn across the district, bear the testimony of a settlement that
had disappeared over the years. These rare and intricately carved architectural
relics speak volumes of the glorious past of Jain architecture that flourished
here in the post-Goud era. According to recent studies, the relics date back to
the ninth and tenth centuries AD. The variety and the elaborate sculptures
suggest that the state might have been an important centre of Jain civilisation some thousand years ago. The 24th Tirthankara,
Mahavira had come here to spread the words of Jainism in 6th century BC but
scriptures found in the region showed that many residents of Bengal had already
taken up Jainism.
The 23rd Tirthankara, Parashwanath had visited the region to
propagate Jainism in the 8th century B.C. But, it was only after Mahavir’s
visit that Jainism took a firm root in Bengal. Surveying these historical
sites, Mr Beglar found that only five of the 21 temples still remained there.
Now, over the years only three are still existing. These three have been
reduced to an absolutely ruinous state. The directorate of archaeology of the
state has taken steps to conserve them and accordingly carried out renovation
there. At least 48 intricately done sculptures can still be found there. Some
of them are crumbling down in places but most of of them are intact. A greenish
chlorite stone, found in abundance in the region, is the main material used for
these sculptures.
Undoubtedly the most impressive of these sculptures is the
colossal naked figure of a Jina. About 7.5 feet high, it is carved of polished
black stone. The image with large closed eyes, long ears, closed lips, curly
stresses flowing down the beard and shoulders have a overwhelming effect on the
viewers.
Except the restoration of the dilapidated temples by the state
archaeological department, nothing has been done to preserve the priceless
sculptures properly. The Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal thinks
otherwise. He said the excavation project needs huge amount of funds and the
department is as usual cash-strapped. The Jain community of the state has
approached the Governors and the concerned minister several times for
preservation of the heritage sites and has also proposed to build a museum at
Pakbirra. Only a few of them have seemed to care about the proposal.
Information Courtesy: Vidya Bhushan Maji, E-Mail: bhushan@civil.iisc.ernet.in