Latur, August 6: A rare 12th century Jain inscription has been discovered at the ancient Mallikarjun Temple premises in Achaler village of Lohara in Dharashiv district, offering fresh evidence of the existence of a medieval Jain religious centre in the region, researcher Krushna Gudade said.
The inscription, embedded in a wall on the right side of a flight of steps leading into the temple, was identified by inscription researcher Krushna Gudade during a field visit. The stone, later confirmed to be the lion-throne pedestal of a Jain idol, was found covered with layers of paint, which were carefully removed before an estampage was taken for detailed examination.
The two-line inscription is written in Hale Kannada script and composed in Sanskrit. It was deciphered by Dr Devarakonda Reddy, President of the Karnataka History Academy.
According to the inscription, the monument dates back to the early 12th century and records the construction of a Vijay Parshvanath Jinalaya (Jain temple) by Subhasena Muni, a revered monk belonging to the Yapaniya Sangha, an influential Jain monastic order that flourished in parts of present-day Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Researchers said a damaged portion of the inscription has obscured the name of the specific gana (sub-sect) of the Yapaniya Sangha. However, the surviving text indicates that a Parshvanath Jain temple, or Basadi, once stood at the site and served as a residence for Jain monks.
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The discovery gains further significance as an idol of Jain Tirthankara Parshvanath still exists within the temple campus, reinforcing the view that the area originally housed a Jain religious establishment. Researchers, however, clarified that the inscription has no direct association with the present Mallikarjun Temple.
Historians noted that references to the Yapaniya Sangha have also been found in inscriptions from Murum, Karla (Killari), Dharmapuri and several other sites across Maharashtra and Karnataka, highlighting the widespread influence of the sect during the medieval period.
Local residents Pratik Pujari and Gundu Pujari extended valuable assistance during the documentation and examination of the inscription, researchers said.
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