Tirthankara

Height 77 cm., Breadth 69 cm.
Tindivanam, South Arcot District, Tamilnadu.
Circa 10th Century AD.

     This sculpture was received as a gift from the Tennis Club of Tindivanam. The Tirthankara figure of this sculpture is depicted in seated Padmasana Dhyana pose. To his back on the pedestal is a Makara (crocodile) ornamented cushioned back. A semi-circular Bha Mandala with a garland design is depicted. Over the Bha Mandala is the triple umbrella with a top knob. On his either side are the usual Chamara bearers. On the pedetal three flower designs are carved in under cut, one on each alternate square. Ignoring this feature, the sculpture is recorded in the Museum Register as merely a Tirthankara. The three floral designs depict blossomed lotuses with spread out petals. On the basis of this cognisance. this sculpture could be identified as Padmaprabha, the Sixth Tirthankara.

    

Tirthankara

Height 164 cm., Breadth  105 cm.
Tuticorin, Tamilnadu.
Circa 9th Century AD.

     This huge sculpture with a Tirthankara figure carved in seated Padmasana Dhyana pose was brought to Chennai Museum in 1878 AD. It is the biggest Jain sculpture in the collection of the Chennai Museum. In its scale and grandeur, this sculpture is comparable to the Buddha sculpture in Thyaganur, a suburb of Arasalur in Salem District.  This colossal Tirthankara sculpture from South Tamilnadu displays the vigour of the imperial Pandya style exhibition in Kazhugumalai and therefore can be dated to Circa 9th Century AD. The ear lobes are very long in this sculpture also. In the temple at Jina Kanchi i.e. Tiruparithikundram, the two deities which are also sculptures of Mahavira are of similar huge size.