CHOVISI OF RISHABHANATHA
Description
This bronze image of a chovisi, meaning a group of the twenty-four Tirthankaras (Jain teachers), is an exquisite image of the Rashtrakuta period from the Deccan. The central figure is that of the first Jaina Tirthankara Rishabhanatha, standing erect in the meditative Kayotsarga posture. His broad chest is glowing with the golden shrivatsa mark indicative of his enlightened state.
The remaining twenty-three Tirthankaras are depicted in miniature on the parikara (aureole) around him. Parshvanatha seated in a niche in the topmost row is identifiable by the cobra-hood over his head. The parikara is surmounted by a canopy done in the typical style of the region. The Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and the apsaras (celestial dancers), standing in identical poses, create a beautiful pattern along the periphery of the parikara. The elegantly-dressed chauri (fly-whisk) bearers stand in the dvibhanga posture, with the left leg slightly bent. They are both on the sides of the main image. The lotuses emerging from the left and right of the pedestal provide the base for the chauri-bearers and also the seats for the attendants the yaksha Matanga and the yakshini Ambika. Matanga holds a citron in his right hand and a mongoose in his left, while Ambika, has a child seated on her left lap. She holds a twig of the mango tree in her right hand. The nine figures carved on the pedestal are probably the Navagrahas, the nine planets.
Collection
Jain Art
Object Type
Sculpture Bronze sculpture
Material
Bronze
Schools/Culture/Period
--
Technique
Bronze casting
Date
8th-9th Century
Location
Chahardi, Chopda Taluka, Khandesh District, Maharashtra
Dimension
58.3 x 34.6 x 16.5 cms