Pakbirra Sculptures – Part 1: Site and Inventory
Summary
The article provides a comprehensive site inventory and historical overview of the ancient Jain site of Pakbirra, located in the Purulia District of West Bengal, India. The main argument is that Pakbirra was a prolific center for Jain shrines and images, and the text meticulously reconstructs the site's history and current architectural state based on early colonial reports and recent archaeological findings. The evidence presented relies heavily on the earliest descriptions by Lieut. R. C. Bevan from 1865 and J. D. Beglar from 1873, alongside later reports by T. Bloch in 1903 and F. H. Coupland in 1911. The author notes that while Beglar’s 1873 report is graphic and invaluable, it contains significant errors, specifically confusing Buddhist sculptures with Jain images and misidentifying a miniature Jain shrine as a votive chaitya. The author corrects these errors, identifying the figures under a tree as a Jain tutelary couple. The text also references the *List of Ancient Monuments in Bengal* and Subhas Chandra Mukhopadhyay’s 1977 study, *Pakbirra—A Lost Jaina Centre of Purulia*, for site plans and summaries. The article concludes by detailing the site's current condition, noting that three single-celled temples, which were recently reconstructed by the Directorate of Archaeology, West Bengal between 1976 and 1979, still stand. Furthermore, it inventories forty-eight greenish chlorite sculptures, primarily depicting figures of the Jain pantheon such as Adinatha, Parshvanatha, Mahavira, and Aranatha, which are clustered around the temples on a mound of approximately 1.2 acres.
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Conclusion
Pakbirra emerges as the most prolific ancient Jain site in West Bengal, distinguished by its dense concentration of shrines, images, and architectural ruins. The site's significance is underscored by its historical documentation, beginning with early accounts by Bevan and Beglar, whose detailed, albeit occasionally erroneous, reports provide a foundational reconstruction of its former grandeur. The recent inventory reveals forty-eight chlorite sculptures, predominantly intact, alongside three reconstructed single-celled temples, highlighting the site's extensive sculptural and architectural heritage. The discovery of a colossal figure, votive shrines, and a large brick temple with a mandapa illustrates the site's complex religious and structural evolution. These findings position Pakbirra as a crucial center for understanding the development of Jain art and architecture in the region, necessitating further scholarly investigation and conservation efforts to fully comprehend its historical and cultural implications.