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Jai Jinendra ,

SCULPTURE PARTLY BURIED IN A MOUND IN RAMANATHAPURAM VILLAGE
The mystery: The statue of a Jain Tirthankara was found at Pasumpon village in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram district three weeks ago. Is it the sculpture of Adinatha, first Tirthankara of Jainism, or Mahavira? This question has been haunting K.T. Gandhirajan, specialist in art history, for more than three weeks after he found that beautiful sculpture in a small mound at Pasumpon village. The lower portion of the sculpture, buried in the mound, holds the key to the question. But villagers may not allow the sculpture to be pulled out. The sculpture shows a Jain Tirthankara in a seated posture. It has a well-proportioned body with broad shoulders. The Tirthankara’s eyes are half closed and he has curly hair. Surrounding his head is a simple semi-circular prabhavali (arch), topped by a triple-umbrella. Creeper designs fill the space above. There are two chamdaris (chowri-bearers) cast in a tribhanga pose. According to K. Mohan, Inspector of police, a person known as Muthuramalinga Thevar, used to lead the villagers in offering worship to the image on Tamil new year day in April every year. The sculpture used to be anointed with oil and bathed with water. The practice stopped after Thevar died in 1963. Now it is lying half-buried in the mound. It is the buried portion which will reveal whether the sculpture is that of Adinatha or Mahavira. The triple umbrella is common to both. Courtesy : Pankaz Hingarh,Mumbai.