A note on the Jina Image from Meḍatā, Rajasthan
By M. A. Dhaky
Summary
This short contribution documents a recently discovered Jina sculpture from Meḍatā, a historical town in Rajasthan. The author describes the figure as being carved in high‑relief from buff sandstone and standing in the classic kāyotsarga posture of Jain Tīrthaṅkaras. Details such as the elongated earlobes, the stylised curls of hair and a barely visible śrīvatsa on the chest help to identify the figure as one of the twenty‑four Jinas rather than a generic ascetic. The surrounding prabhāvalī is decorated with miniature Jinas and attendant figures, while the pedestal shows animals and donors typical of early medieval Jain art. Inscriptions on the base record the names of donors and mention a Pratīhāra ruler, suggesting a date in the seventh or eighth century CE. Stylistic features such as the naturalistic modelling of the torso and the simplified drapery point to regional workshops influenced by the Gupta and Maitraka traditions. The piece likely belonged to a small shrine serving the local Jain community. By drawing attention to this neglected sculpture, the author adds a valuable data point to the corpus of western Indian Jain images and emphasises the need for better cataloguing and conservation of artefacts in rural temples and museum collections.
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Conclusion
The Meḍatā Jina image is an important witness to the spread of Jainism into western Rajasthan and to the stylistic currents of early medieval Indian art. Its iconography and inscriptional evidence illuminate the religious life of regional communities and their engagement with pan‑Indian artistic idioms. Documenting such pieces helps scholars reconstruct the development of Jain sculpture and underscores the urgency of preserving artefacts that remain in situ in remote temples.