PAPER PRESENTATION BY DR. SUSHMA AHUJA Head , Department of History Govt. JDB Girls PG College, Kota THE ALIEN FEATURES OF THE SUN TEMPLE OF JHALARAPATAN
Surya The Sun Eye of the Universe Origin of all Creation Shines and Destroys Darkness
Single Manifestation of the Three Qualities Creation Existence Destruction
Morning The Rising Sun is worshipped as Brahma Mid Day The Blazing Sun is worshipped as Maheshwara Evening The Setting Sun is worshipped as Vishnu
Sun Worship In India Traced back from the Pre Historic cultures to the 12 c. A.D.
Three forms: Natural Symbolic Imagery
Sun Was Represented In Indian Art By Means Of Various Symbols :
A Wheel A Round Golden Plate or Solar Disc A Lotus Flower A Swastik Commonest symbol : Solar Wheel
SURYA As An Object Of Worship On The Early Historic Punch Marked And Cast Coins
Wheels Of Sun Are Regarded As The Wheels Of Life
Sun Being The Controller Of The Day Wheels Represent The Time As Replica Of The Universe The Wheels Of His Chariot Symbolizes The Chariot Of Creation.
Figure of Lotus The Lotus Symbolising the Sun and the Creative Force came to hold a Unique place in Indian Art of All Ages
Called Surya as Savitra Sarvasya Prasavit The Producer Of All Surya in Human Form The Rigvedic Description of Surya Riding a Chariot drawn by 1 , 3 , 4 or 7 Horses Basis of the Earliest Representations attended by Female Figures Usha and Pratyusa on Both Sides Some Of The Earliest Remains The Buddhist Cave At Bhaja (I c. B.C.) Lala Bhagat Pillar, Kanpur ( 2 c. A.D.) Anant Gumpha Khandgiri Near Bhubneshwar In Orrisa
Helios The Sun God Art motifs of the Gandhara Specially from Mathura
Help us to trace the Development of the Gupta and Post Gupta periods. The medieval Surya reliefs fall under two categories : 1) Showing the God standing ( as Navgraha and Independent ) in the company of his attendants
2) Showing him seated in Padmasana.
The Fully Anthro Morphic Representation Of Mithra
Maithraism was throughlly helenised in the courts of the West Asian successors of Alexander the Great
Mithra : The Sun God The Greek Solar Divinities served as the Origin of The Iranian Sun God Mithra or Mihir
Figures of Mihir- Helios on the coins of Alien Rulers of India like The Indo Greek and Kushan rulers ; Kanishka and Huvishka
Forms were based on the representative Solar Deities in the Coins of the Indo-Greek rulers like Apollodotus II , Philoxenus and Telephus Representative Solar Deities In The Coins Of The Indo-Greek Rulers The Figure Of The Sun God Depicted On A Bronze Coin Of Philoxenus Magi Brahmans Persian Impact Indiansied Form Of The Magis Sun Worshipping Priest Of Iran
Bhavishya Puran: Brahmans of Shakdwip owed their origin to the Sun God and the most beautiful daughter of a Brahmin named Sujihwa ( Sanjana ) They are known as Maga Brahmans of Sakadwip
Samba Puran : Sun God had advised Samba to get his worship performed by the Brahmins of Sakadwip
Ptolemy mentions the Maga Brahmins ( Magi priests ) as residing in India in the II century A.D. when Samba is taken to be a contemporary of the King Parakshit who is said to have ruled in the 19th century B.C. Samba for the first time started worshipping the Sun at Konark Situated on the Banks of Sacred River Chandrabhaga
Samba had built the Three Great Sun Temples in India
One is at Konark Second is at Multan Probably in all possibility the third was at Jhalarapatan ( Chandrabhaga )
All three were on the bank of river Chandrabhaga Sun Temple Of Jhalarapatan Sun Temple Of Jhalarapatan Capital of Ptolemys District of Sandra Batis Foundation in the Beginning of The Christian Era
108 Temples at Chandravati
The number which is fully borne out by the numerous existing statues and other sculptural remains .
The Ruins of Chandravati are situated on Both Banks of the River Chandrabhaga
The city was destroyed in the time of Aurengzeb
All that was left of the Ancient place in 1796 was
The Temple of Saat Saheli or Seven Damsels
Still standing in the Modern City of Jhalrapatan The Surya temple or Padmanabha or Bada Mandir. The shrine with its Shikra and Mandap up to the Beam and above Pillars are Old Work.
The Main Image Of The Temple Is Lost But A Composite Image Of Shiva Suryanarayan And Brahma Depicted is in situ in its Back Principle Niche
In The Standing Composite Image of Surya The Sun God is carved not riding a chariot but standing on a lotus pedestal Wearing Kavacha , Kundal and other Ornaments. The body of Sun God is shown Covered Wears a Kirit Mukut Clad in a Dhoti which is tied round the waist with a profusely carved Girdle clasped in front and Long Boots covering the feet upto the knees
He holds Lotus Stalks with sprouting bunches of Lotus flower in his two hands Description From Literary Evidences The Earliest Reference to the Dress of Sun God having Alien Features is found in the Brahit Sanhita :
Image should be carved in Northerner or Udichayavesa The Waist Girdle , The Viyanga And Kanchuka Covering The Body Description From Literary Evidences According to the Vishnu Dharmutra Puran :
The God Should Have Four Arms The Sun Is Described As : Having Moustaches Udichayavesa Adorned With All Ornaments Covered With A Kavacha And Having A Waist Girdle Description From Literary Evidences Vishnu Dharmutra Puran :
The accessory figures of the attendants staff carrying Danda to the left Ink and pen bearing Kundi or Pingala on his right should be carved in the dress of Northerner : udichyavesau karttavyau tavubhavapi
His Four Sons : Revant ,Yama ,Asvin and Manu should stand by him
Other attendants are his Four Wife : Ragyi or Rajni , Nikshubha , Chaya and Sarvkasa
The chariot drawn by seven horses should be driven by Arun Description From Literary Evidences Bana Bhatta in the Harsacharita
Describes this dress as Varabana which is made out of stavaraka cloth Description From Literary Evidences V.S Agarwal : Identified this dress with that of the Sun Images of the Iran of the Sassanian period ( 4 century A.D.)
It is also very much like that of the rulers of the Sassanain Iran as depicted in the contemporary paintings of Iran Another Image from Chandrabhaga Group
Description From Literary Evidences Another Image from Chandrabhaga Group From a Small Temple is also a Composite Image Presenting The Four Gods Shiv , Vishnu , Surya and Brahma The figure is booted with Long Persian Boots
Surya : Wearing Kavach,Kundal Holding Lotus and other attributes Some Other Places Reflecting These Features Budadeet Sun temple Vrihadaditya Dhoti Atru Amwa Main Features Of This Region Sun Worship Was Popular Surya Was Represented In The Composite Images As The Main Deity The Other Gods As Merging In This Form
The Gradual Assimilation Of The Two Or More Sects Is Also Visible In The Sun Temple Of Jhalarapatan Of Kota Region Main Features Of This Region In these temples besides the composite sun images insanctum and back principle niche The images of : Varaha Incarnation Narsimha Venu Gopal And other Themes were profusely carved in the niches of the exterior lintel pillars and door jams The image of Narsimha The image of : Varaha Incarnation
The image of Venu Gopal Authenticity Several Specimens of Old Cast Copper Coins besides few of the still more Ancient Square pieces of Silver which probably are from 500-1000 B.C.
These coins are sufficient to show that the place was occupied long before the time of Chandra Sen and named after himself Authenticity From the I century B.C. to the III and IV A.D. A number of ruling tribes occupied different parts of Rajasthan (Yodhey Malav Sibi) (Malva Region)
Same region came under the influence of Sassani Greek and Persians Authenticity Carllyle found some Square Punchmark Coins and Some Early Inscribed Copper Coins From Jhalawar, (Symbols Of Sassami Rulers)
Nine Copper Kushan Coins are also preserved in Jhalawar Museum and
One Silver Coin in Kota Museum The Punch Marked Coins Are Considered To Be The Earliest Coins Of India.
Authenticity On The Observe Of These Coins Symbols Of
Shadr-chakra (Six-armed) Sun, Bull, Elephant
can be seen Authenticity Indo-Sassanian Coins were circulating in Hadoti region 173 copper coins are preserved in Jhalawar museum
There is a Sassanian Type Bust Of King And The Reverse Side Fire Altar In the Gupta and Post Gupta period 6 10 century A.D. There Is No Doubt About The Antiquity Of this Place and if it is said Samba Had Built Three Sun Temples In India Of Them One Is At The Rising Tract Of Konark On The Bank Of Chandrbhaga
Second Is At Multan On The Bank Of Chandrbhaga Probably The Third One Must Be At Jhalarapatan Also On The Bank Of River Chandrabhaga.
DR. SUSHMA AHUJA Head ,Department of History Govt. JDB Girls PG College, Kota
Co-ordinator School of Heritage,Tourism, Museology and Archaeology University of Kota , Kota Thank You !!!