Bhubaneswar: A statue of Lord Mahavir, the founder and last Tirthankara of Jainism, was discovered during pond excavation on the land of Ranjan Kumar Raut in Balipada of Fakirpur village under Anandapur Municipality, sparking interest among historians and cultural enthusiasts.
The statue, estimated to be 1,500 years old, stands approximately 3 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. Weighing over a quintal, the figure has been carved in the ‘Kayotsarga’ posture, a meditative standing pose often associated with Jain iconography. Deities are depicted on both sides of the statue, which resembles the Bahubali statue in the Gomateshwara Temple at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka.
Trilochan Sahoo, a local social worker and Sanskrit scholar, informed officials from the State Museum, along with historians and university professors, who confirmed the statue’s cultural and historical value.
Given the rarity and significance of the artefact, the Fakirpur Sanskrutika Parishada, led by President Saroj Kumar Sahu and Secretary Trilochan Sahoo, has requested the Keonjhar district collector, Anandapur sub-district collector, and the state’s Department of Culture to take immediate steps to preserve the statue at the State Museum.
Sahoo emphasised the need for further research, noting that a deeper study could reveal valuable insights into the statue’s origin and the region’s ancient Jain heritage.
PNN