7th century idols of Yamraj and Jain Gods excavated

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March 5th, 2008 - 7:55 pm ICT

Sirpur (Chhattisgarh), March 5 (ANI): Archaeologists in Chattisgarh claim to
have discovered 7th century idols of Yamraj, the Lord of Death in Hinduism,
astride a buffalo and Supasharvanath, a divine figure of Jain faith.

The excavation of lands in search of the Jain monuments is being carried out
at Sirpur in Chhattisgarhs Mahasamund District.

“This idol is made of metamorphic rock, which is found in Mahanadi and I
found it at a distance of 30-40 feet from the place where I am standing. It
is in two parts and a part of a big pillar of some temple. It has a female
structure on one of its side and structure of Yamraj sitting on a he-buffalo
on the other side, said Arun Kumar Sharma, an archaeologist, Archaeological
Survey of India.

The idols are believed to be dating back to the seventh century.

“I think this idol belongs to 7th or 8th century, when Jains were in power
in Sirpur and Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism had ample patronage from the
Kings. We have a number of Jain monuments also,” Arun added. Archaeologists
hope the latest finding will enable them to uncover the ancient history of
Digambar Jains in the region. (ANI)