A Hoard of Jaina Bronze Image Inscriptions from Charkhi ,

Vivek Dangi1 and S. Krishnamurthy2

1. Department of History, All Jat Heroes’ Memorial College, , Haryana - 124 001, India (Email: [email protected]) 2. Archaeological Survey of India, Mysuru, Karnataka – 570 017, India (Email: [email protected])

Received: 14 July 2019; Revised: 29 August 2019; Accepted: 03 October 2019 Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 7 (2019): 314-323

Abstract: Inscriptions form the most reliable source for the reconstruction of history. In the present paper the authors have discussed nine inscriptions, which were carved on the back side of the bronze images of Jaina . These inscriptions have its own importance because these are the only inscribed bronze images belonging to so far discovered in the region. Although two of the Hansi hoard images are inscribed with few words only. All these bronzes belong to the Medieval period (12th - 13th Century A.D.). During this period massive socio-political change took place in the region and these inscriptions can throw light on the various aspects of history of that time.

Keywords: Jaina, Tirthankara, Bronzes, Charkhi Dadri, Naragi, Haryana, Samvat

Introduction Jainism is a religion of hoary past and it played an important role in the . The contributors of Jainism are apparent in all aspects of cultural heritage of Haryana which abounds in Jaina antiquities. Even though numerous beautiful sculptures, architectural fragments, bronzes, etc., which tell us about the importance of are found from many places, inscriptions related to Jainism are rare. About 28 sites (Table 1 and Figure 1) have yielded archaeological remains of Jainism in Haryana (Dangi 2017). The earliest archaeological evidence of the Jainism in Haryana comes from Hansi in the form of a hoard of bronze images containing fifty two figures of Jaina Tirthankara. Two among them bear inscriptions (Handa 2002: Pl 19b and Pl. 20b) datable to circa 8th century A.D. Datable almost to a century later (dated Samvat 918 = 861 A.D.) is the stone image of Jaina Tirthankara from , presently preserved in Sri Krishna Museum, (ARIEP B 37 of 1980) also bears an five lines inscription ( 2001. No. 3). Recently one inscription of the period of Mughal emperor , dated Samvat 1650 (1593 A.D.) was found from Baund Kalan, District (Dangi and Parshad 2014:359-367). The bronze images recovered from Kasan (Dangi 2017:316) are inscribed but unfortunately we were not allowed to document them. Dangi and Krishnamurthy 2019: 314-323

Table 1: Sites Yielding Jaina Vestiges in Haryana Sr. No. Village District Latitude Longitude 1 Agroha 29°19'56.94"N 75°37'9.62"E 2 Ahrwan Faridabad 28° 6'27.33"N 77°15'20.74"E 3 Asthal Bohar Majra Rohtak 28°51'54.77"N 76°38' 07.28"E 4 Ata Gurgoan 28°13'3.78"N 77° 4'59.45"E 5 Badli Jhajjar 28°34'19.59"N 76°48'36.72"E 6 Banchari Faridabad 27°56'1.71"N 77°21'4.97"E 7 Bari Kohori Ambala 30°30'25.81"N 77° 4'24.82"E 8 Baund Kalan Bhiwani 28°46'42.85"N 76°20'28.25"E 9 Bhatla Hisar 29°10'25.45"N 75°55'41.21"E 10 Bhond Nuh 27°46'53.99"N 76°55'8.09"E 11 Binwa Nuh 28° 7'56.77"N 76°58'54.57"E 12 Charkhi Dadri Bhiwani 28° 36' 00.02" N 76° 16' 00.13" E 13 Hansi Hisar 29° 06' 19.68" N 75° 57' 49.48" E 14 Jind Jind 29° 18' 59.96" N 76° 19' 00.23" E 15 Kasan Gurgoan 28°21'21.64"N 76°53'59.96"E 16 Khokhrakot Rohtak 28° 54' 45.33" N 76° 34' 36.24" E 17 Kira Nuh 28° 7'25.18"N 77° 7'3.07"E 18 Kuwari Hissar 28°58'34.33"N 75°49'4.36"E 19 Mohanbari Jhajjar 28°28'42.89"N 76°23'25.99"E 20 Mahendragargh 28° 02' 24.63" N 76° 06' 36.10" E 21 30° 47' 49.87" N 76° 55' 01.90" E 22 Ranila Bhiwani 28° 41' 41.0" N 76° 22' 52.6" E 23 Ratpur Panchkula 30° 49' 21.83"N 76° 54' 58.19"E 24 Rewari 28° 11' 17.20" N 76° 36' 41.55" E 25 Sikanderpur Sirsa 29°32'41.55"N 75° 6'54.02"E 26 Surehli Rewari 28°22'56.07"N 76°25'49.05"E 27 Thanesar Kurukshetra 29°58'35.74"N 76°49'33.75"E 28 Bhiwani 28°52'17.53"N 75°54'39.54"E

Table 2: Break-up of Charkhi Dadri Bronzes Sl. No. Name of Deity Number of Specimens 1 Adinatha 02 2 Mallinatha 02 3 01 4 Parsvanatha 08 5 01 6 Unidentified 01 7 Total 15

In this background, the present study of a hoard of fifteen inscribed bronze images found from Charkhi Dadri (Table 2), the district headquarters in Haryana, dated

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variously between 11th - 13th century A.D makes an interesting study. The inscriptions on it remained unpublished. These bronzes were recovered by Sri Atter Singh Sheoran, a Member of the Legislative Assembly from , district Bhiwani, Haryana, during the 1970’s. He donated them to the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana. Most of the bronzes from Charkhi Dadri were inscribed but the inscriptions on only nine of them are legible and the remaining six are rusted badly and only traces of inscription is visible making it difficult to decipher. The details of the inscriptions are given in following paragraphs.

Figure 1: Map Showing Jain Sites in Haryana

Image 1 (Figure 2.1; Figure 3): This inscription, written in language and Nagari characters, records that on the 4th day (weekday is mentioned as Wednesday) of the bright fortnight of Phalguna in Samvat 1274 (1217 A.D.), this image of Parsvanatha, was installed by Dayavarasuri, a disciple of Manadevasuri, for the merit of Yasadhara belonging to Nandi-gana.

Image 2 (Figure 2.2; Figure 4): This inscription written in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters is partly illegible. It seems to record the donation or installation of the image on the 7th day of the dark fortnight by a lay disciple of tirthankara. Other details are lost.

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Figure 2: Text of the inscriptions

Image 3 (Figure 2.3; Figure 5): This inscription, written in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters, records that in Samvat 1183 (1126 A.D.), [this image] was donated by certain Dira, for the merit of an individual (name not clear) belonging to Vahediya- gachha.

Image 4 (Figure 2.4; Figure 6): This inscription, written in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters is partly illegible. It records that in Samvat 1211 (1154 A.D.), this image was donated. Other details are lost.

Image 5 (Figure 2.5; Figure 7): This inscription, written in Sanskrit language (corrupt) and Nagari characters seems to be incomplete. It records that on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of Jyeshtha in Samvat 1155 (1098 A.D.), this image [installed] for the merit of a female lay disciple (Sravika).

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Figure 3: Image 1 Figure 4: Image 2

Figure 5: Image 3 Figure 6: Image 4

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Figure 7: Image 5 Figure 8: Image 6

Figure 9: Image 7 Figure 10: Image 8

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Figure 11: Image 9

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Image 6 (Figure 2.6; Figure 8): This inscription, written in Sanskrit language (corrupt) and Nagari characters records that in Samvat 1274 (1217 A.D.), this image [was donated] by a person named Savarnaratna, for the merit of Dehasuri belonging to Saderaka-gachha.

Image 7 (Figure 2.7; Figure 9): This inscription, written in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters, records that the image of Parsvanatha, made by certain person named Srinata, was donated by Madra, for the merit of his father Mativahini, a cloth- merchant belonging to Sri Anandada-jnati. The image was installed by a certain person (name lost), who was a disciple of Vardhamanasuri on the 10th day (weekday is mentioned as Sunday) of the dark fortnight of Phalguna in Samvat 1323 (1266 A.D.).

Image 8 (Figure 2.8; Figure 10): This inscription written in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters, records that on the 5th day of the dark fortnight in Samvat 1198 (1141 A.D.), [the image] was donated by certain person named Halasri and offered his obeisance to the deity. The second line of the inscription is damaged in the beginning.

Image 9 (Figure 2.9; Figure 11): Records that [the image] was caused to be made and [donated] for the merit of Viraka belonging to Vrihamana gachha and can be dated to Samvat 1201 (1144 A.D.)

Discussion In Haryana, in spite of the recovery of hundreds of sculptures belonging to Jaina faith, so far not even a single ancient Jaina temple has been reported (Devi 1978; Kumar 1978; Singh 2003; Handa 2006; Dangi 2017). This clearly indicates that there were many Jaina temples in the region, but all got plundered and destroyed by the invaders in the medieval period. Thus, this hoard of nine inscribed Jaina bronze images recovered from Charkhi Dadri are invaluable as it throws considerable light on many aspects of Jainism during 11th - 13th century A.D.

Among the bronze image inscriptions from Charkhi Dadri discussed in this paper, two are illegible. The inscriptions are found engraved on the rear side of the images in Sanskrit language and Nagari characters. Seven among them give the year of donation or installation of the image in Samvat, which could be assumed as of Vikrama era. The earliest among them is dated as Samvat 1155 (1098 A.D.) and the latest is Samvat 1323 (1266 A.D.), thus spanning a period of 168 years. The other dates being Samvat 1183 (1126 A.D.), 1198 (1141 A.D.), 1211 (1154 A.D.) and 1274 (1217 A.D.).

The content of all the inscriptions are donatory in nature. The inscription in general begins with date portion and contains either year only or details like paksha, tithi, masa and vara. Then it records details of the donor, person who installed it and in whose memory the donation was made. Like in other Jaina records of the period, it also provides their Jnati, Gana or Gachha affiliations like Nandi-gana, Vahediya-gachha, Saderaka-gachha, Vrihamana-gachha and Anandada-jnati. We get names of some Jaina pontiffs like Dayavarasuri and Manadevasuri of Nandi-gana, Dehasuri of Saderaka-

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gachha and Vardhamanasuri of Anandada-jnati. This Vardhamanasuri mentioned in image no.7 could be identified with the famous monk from the Sultanate period who composed Achara Dinakara, a treatise on Jaina Iconography. Apart from this we find many references in Jaina literature to Vardhamanasuri, who preached Svetambara ideology during 13th century A.D. in Haryana and Punjab.

Among the inscriptions discussed above, inscription on image no. 7 is interesting as it refers to a cloth-merchant (patta-sreni). The region of Bhiwani is now a day’s also famous for textiles. Similar reference to merchant community in Jaina inscription is found from Jind. It records the installation of an image of Rishabhadeva in Samvat 918, on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight in the month of Phalguna by traders who are the chiefs of the governing association namely Harsuka, Viruka, Jiula, Bansula, Vatsaraja, Vadhulana, Samudra, Umata, Rikhidhara and Bhaskara. The sculptor is mentioned as Rajabhima (Agrawal 2001: No. 3). A recently discovered inscriptions from Kangra, Himachal Pradesh also refers to merchant community (Dangi and Krishanmurthy 2018:1080-1083).

The availability of these nine inscribed bronze images from Charkhi Dadri attests to the popularity of Jaina faith in the region and existence of a Jaina temple or monastery at Chakri Dadri. Further exploration in the region may throw more light on the development and popularity of Jaina cult and its impact on the overall cultural heritage of Haryana and adjoining regions.

Acknowledgements It is my pleasant duty to acknowledge Dr. Manmohan Kumar, and Dr. J.S. Kharakwal for their support, valuable suggestions and encouragement. I owe sincere gratitude to Dr. Akinori Uesugi and Arvin Raj Mathur for their support in many ways. I am thankful Manish Gulia, Manujeet Nandal, Sudhir Gehlawat and Samunder Hooda for their kind help during the field survey and cleaning the inscription and sculptures. I am grateful to the authorities of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, Panchkula for allowing me to study their collections and Jaina bronze hoard of Charkhi Dadri for the study.

References Agrawal, J. 2001. Inscription of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Kashmir and Adjoining Hilly Tracts. New : Indian Council of Historical Research. Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy for the year 1979-80. : Archaeological Survey of India. Dangi, V. and J. Parshad. 2014. Jaina Inscription from Baund Kalan, District Bhiwani, Haryana. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 2: 359- 367 Dangi, V., S. Krishanmurthy and R. Malkotia 2018. A Recently Discovered Jaina Pedestal Inscription of Sarada Script from Kangra Fort, Himachal Pradesh. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 6: 1080-1083

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Dangi, Vivek 2017. Jainism in Haryana: An Archaeological Perspective. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology 5:301-330. Devi, S. 1978. Art Tradition in Haryana. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Kurukshetra: Kurukshetra University. Handa, D. 2002. Jaina Bronzes from Hansi. Shimla: Indian Institute of Advanced Study. Handa, D. 2006. Sculptures from Haryana. New Delhi: Book Internationals. Kumar, M. 1978. Archaeology of Ambala and Kurukshetra Districts (Haryana). Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis. Kurukshetra: Kurukshetra University. Singh, C. P. 2003. Early Medieval Art of Haryana. Delhi: Koshal Book Depot.

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