Punyodaya Tirth

Punyodaya Tirth
Punyodaya Tirth
Religion
AffiliationJainism
DeityParshvanatha
Location
LocationHansi, Hisar
Architecture
Established20th century
Temple2

Punyodaya Tirth Khestra refers to the remains of a historic Jain temple and associated Jain archaeological material discovered at Hansi in Hisar district, Haryana, India. Archaeological investigations at Hansi have revealed Jain sculptures and architectural remains dating to the early medieval period.[1] The site is particularly known for the Hansi hoard, a collection of Jain bronze images discovered in 1982.[2][3]

History

Archaeological evidence indicates that Hansi was an important centre of Jain activity in early medieval Haryana. Jain sculptures and architectural remains have been discovered at the ancient mound associated with the fort at Hansi.[1]

Excavations at Hansi were conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India under the direction of D. V. Sharma. The investigations yielded four stone sculptures of Parshvanatha, along with architectural panels attributed to the ninth and tenth centuries.[3]

Surface remains recorded at the site included architectural fragments interpreted as belonging to a substantial Jain temple.[3] These remains, together with the Jain sculptures recovered from the site, provide archaeological evidence for a Jain religious establishment at medieval Hansi.

The ancient mound at Hansi preserves a long archaeological sequence extending beyond its Jain remains. Excavations by the Archaeological Survey of India revealed multiple cultural periods at the site, while the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, records the mound as extending from the third century BCE to the eleventh century CE.[4]

Hansi hoard

Hansi hoard, 8th—9th century

In February 1982, a significant hoard of Jain bronze images was accidentally discovered at Hansi.[2] The images had been deposited together in a large copper vessel at the ancient mound.[3]

Devendra Handa's monograph Jaina Bronzes from Hansi provides a detailed study of the discovery and describes the assemblage as comprising 58 bronze images.[2] The collection includes images belonging to both the Digambara and Śvētāmbara traditions.[2]

The hoard is significant for the study of the early history of Jainism and bronze sculpture in Haryana. Handa describes it as providing important archaeological evidence for the early presence of Jainism in the region.[5]

Official Government of Haryana sources also record the discovery of Jain bronzes from the fort mound. The Hansi district administration states that 57 bronze images of Jain Tirthankaras were recovered from the site.[6] The difference between the official count of 57 Tirthankara images and Handa's description of the broader assemblage should be understood in the context of the composition of the hoard, which included images other than those of Jain Tirthankaras.[2]

Sculpture and iconography

Main vedi

The archaeological material from Hansi includes both stone and bronze Jain sculpture. Four stone sculptures of Parshvanatha were recovered during archaeological investigations at the site.[3]

The bronze hoard contains representations of several Jain figures and provides evidence for the development of Jain bronze iconography in northern India.[7]

The collection includes images associated with both the Digambara and Śvētāmbara traditions, making it significant for the study of the development and coexistence of different Jain iconographic traditions in the region.[2]

Later scholarship has also used sculptures from the Hansi hoard in studies of the development of Jain iconography. In particular, examples from Hansi have been discussed in relation to the development of multi-Jina compositions in early medieval Jain bronze sculpture.[8]

Archaeological significance

The Jain remains at Hansi constitute important archaeological evidence for the history of Jainism in Haryana. Dangi identifies Hansi among the principal archaeological sites yielding evidence of Jain religious activity in the state.[1]

The combination of stone sculptures, architectural remains and the bronze hoard indicates the presence of a significant Jain religious community at Hansi during the early medieval period.[1]

The Government of Haryana also recognises the archaeological significance of the fort mound. Its archaeological survey records Jain bronze images among the important discoveries made at the site.[4]

See also

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References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dangi 2017, pp. 313–315.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Handa 2002, pp. 1–3.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Dangi 2017, p. 314.
  4. 1 2 "Heritage Monuments and Sites of Haryana" (PDF). Directorate of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Haryana. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  5. ↑ Handa 2002, p. 1.
  6. ↑ "Culture & Heritage". District Hansi, Government of Haryana. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
  7. ↑ Handa 2002, pp. 14–35.
  8. ↑ Handa 2002, pl. 28.

Sources

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