Mahavira

     Kogali, Harpannahalli, Bellary District. Karnataka. Height 29 cm, Breadth 10 cm. Circa 13th Centrury AD.  
  
     The figure Mahavira is shown in the Kayotsarga posture on a rectangular pedestal. The front of the pedestal bears the figure of three lions, the central one being fixed together. This damaged bronze has a Kanarese inscription on the pedestal, which gives the name Ballante Byrappa, as the female donor responsible for its casting.

Sumatinatha 

     Kogali, Harpannahalli, Bellary District. Karnataka. Height 32.5 cm, Breadth 21.5 cm. Circa 9th Century AD.
  
     This bronze of Sumtinanatha, the fifth Tirthankara is one of the eight Treasure trove objects added to the Museum collection in the year 1935. This seated Tirthankara in Dhyana pose is identified as Sumatinatha on account of the Chakra (wheel) symbol found on the pedestal between two lions. In North Indian sculptures of Sumatinatha, the red goose is shown as his cognisance. In the Khandhagiri caves near Bhubaneswar, Orissa, the figure of Sumatinatha is depicted along with a goose. However T.N. Ramachandran with his thorough knowledge of South Indian Jain Scriptures gives the wheel as an alternative cognisance of Sumatinatha. His opinion may be accepted for identification of this bronze.

Adinatha in Chaturvimsati

 
     Kogali, Harpannahalli, Bellary District. Karnataka. Height 36.3 cm, Breadth 19.5 cm.  Circa 9th Century AD.

     The main figure of this beautiful chaturvimsati bronze stands on a padma pitha (lotus base) fitted on top of a lower rectangular base with four legs.Two projections one on either side of the base pedestal bear the yaksha and yakshi of the main standing Tirthankara.The prabhavali has 23 Tirthankara figures in seated padmasana (lotus) pose.They are arranged in row with the 23rd Tirthankara Parsvanatha on the top above the head of the main figure.The top figure (the 23rd Tirthankara) is depicted with a seven-headed snake canopy. At the shoulder level of the main standing Tirthankara there are two Chamaras one on either side. Bha Mandala and Mukkudai are also depicted. The prabhavali is broken and a portion at the top of the left side is missing. There is an outer spear like ornamentation on the Prabhavali at the back.

     The Mula Nayaka or the main figure is recorded in Museum Register as Mahavira. But in fact the figure should be identified as Adinatha. In the absence of his bull symbol,the long tuft of hair hanging on either side of his head over the shoulder helps us to identify him as Adinatha. The 10th Century AD Rashtrakuta style Chaturvimsati Adinatha bronze figure now in the Baroda Museum (Acc.No A.C 8.89 from Shah U.P.,1987,p333) is Comparable with this Kogali chaturvimsati.
  
  

Trithirthi  

    Singanikuppam, South Arcot district (formerly), Tamilnadu. Height 19 cm, Breadth 14 cm. Circa 11th Century AD.
  
    This is a beautiful Trithirthi bronze, which has the figures of three Tirthankaras. But in the Museum Register, it is recorded as Trithankara. The Mula Nayaka (Main Tirthankara is depicted in the Ardha-Paryakasana seated posture on rectangular pedestal. The four legs inverted U-shaped Prabhavali for seated Mula Nayaka is designed with Bha Mandala on each side are fixed at the back of the Prabhavali. These are usually carried when processions of deities and royalty are taken out. Two carved stalk like brackets, with a round top on which the other two Tirthankara figures stand, are attached at the dorsal sides of the pedestal. 

     The standing Tirthankara image on the left side of the Mula Nayaka figure is shown with a five-headed snake, which spreads its hood as canopy over the heads of Tirthankara. Over background the presence of the five headed cobra helps to identify the figure as that of Suparsvanatha. The figure of the Tirthankara on the right side of the Mula Nayaka is Mandala. In the absence of the cognisance figure on the pedestal, it is difficult to identify the figure of the Mula Nayaka. However, Trithirthi groups of Adinatha, Parsvanatha and Mahavira have also been discovered in several places.

     Trithirthi images were popular at Digambara sites and a good number of such sculptures datable to the period between 9th and 12th Centuries AD are found in Deogarh and Khajuraho (Tiwari, Maruti Nandan Prasad).
From the design of the pedestal, its carved brackets on top of which two figures of standing Tirthankaras are depicted and the posture of  this ensemble of the Trithirthis may be dated to Circa 11th Century AD.