Jain Tirthankara sculpture of 7th century found on banks of Baitarani river in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Residents of Mundapada in Odisha’s Bhadrak district discovered a rare and precious Jain Tirthankara sculpture belonging to the 7th or 8th century on the banks of Baitarani river near. According to reports, the villagers stumbled upon the ancient idol when they were en route to the river to take bath. The idol was half-buried in the sand. The villagers soon alerted local researcher Bisambhar Rout who rushed to the spot and found it to be a Jain idol. The ancient sculpture is one and a half feet tall and one-foot wide with a few portions of it in damaged condition. It showcases at least 24 Tirthankaras inscribed on it. However, the faces of the Tirthankaras are not visible properly due to the damage to the idol. “A few locals alerted me about the century-old idol found on the river bank. As soon as I received the news, I rushed to the spot and learnt that the idol was very rare and precious. So, I informed my seniors and we came to know that this was a Jain idol,” informed researcher, Bisambhar Rout. “The idol is around 1.5ft tall while it is 1ft in width. We are guessing that the idol is from the 7th or 8th century. Hundreds of people are coming to get a glimpse of this rare age-old idol,” Rout added. In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and supreme spiritual teacher of the dharma (righteous path). According to Jains, Tirthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma, who have conquered saṃsāra (mundane life) on their own and made a path for others to follow. After understanding the true nature of the self or soul, the Tīrthaṅkara attains Kevala Jnana (omniscience). A Tirthankara provides a bridge for others to follow them from saṃsāra to moksha (liberation).



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