Ayagapata (

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

:अयागपट्ट) or Ayagapatta is a type of

votive A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...

slab associated with worship in

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

Background

Numerous such stone tablets discovered during excavations at ancient Jain sites like

Kankali Tila ''Kankali Tila'' (also Kankali mound or Jaini mound) is a mound located at Mathura in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The name of the mound is derived from a modern temple of Hindu goddess Kankali. The famous Jain stupa was excavated here ...

near

Mathura Mathura () is a city and the administrative headquarters of Mathura district in the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located south-east of Delhi; and about from the town of Vrindavan. In ancient ti ...

in India. Some of them date back to 1st century C.E. These slabs are decorated with objects and designs central to Jain worship such as the ''

stupa In Buddhism, a stupa (, ) is a domed hemispherical structure containing several types of sacred relics, including images, statues, metals, and '' śarīra''—the remains of Buddhist monks or nuns. It is used as a place of pilgrimage and m ...

'', ''

dharmacakra The dharmachakra (Sanskrit: धर्मचक्र, ) or wheel of dharma is a symbol used in the Dharmic religions. It has a widespread use in Buddhism.John C. Huntington, Dina Bangdel, ''The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art,'' p. ...

'' and ''

triratna In Buddhism, refuge or taking refuge refers to a religious practice which often includes a prayer or recitation performed at the beginning of the day or of a practice session. Its object is typically the Three Jewels (also known as the Triple ...

''. A large number of ''ayagapata'' (tablet of homage), votive tablets for offerings and the worship of ''tirthankara'', were found at

Description

These stone tablets bear a resemblance to the earlier ''Shilapatas'' - stone tablets that were placed under trees to worship ''

Yaksha The Yakshas (, , ) in Mythology are a broad class of nature spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in Hindu, Jain and Bud ...

s''. However, this was done by indigenous folk communities before

originated suggesting that both have commonalities in rituals. A scholar on Jain art wrote about an ''Ayagapata'' discovered around Kankali Tila, "The technical name of such a tablet was ''Ayagapata'' meaning homage panel." Kankali Tila tablet of Sodasa and Parsvanatha ayagapata are one of the important Ayagapata. Tablet of Sodasa is an adoration to

Mahavira Mahavira (Devanagari: महावीर, ), also known as Vardhamana (Devanagari: वर्धमान, ), was the 24th ''Tirthankara'' (Supreme Preacher and Ford Maker) of Jainism. Although the dates and most historical details of his lif ...

dating back to and Parsvanatha ayagapata is an adoration to Parsvanatha dating back to .

Gallery

File:Jain Tablet Homage Set-up by Vasu the Daughter of Courtesan Lavana Sobhika - Circa 1st Century CE - Kankali Mound - ACCN 00-Q-7 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 5987.JPG, Ayagapatta, Jain Tablet of homage showing a

Jain stupa The Jain stupa was a type of stupa erected by the Jains for devotional purposes. A Jain stupa dated to the 1st century BCE-1st century CE was excavated at Mathura in the 19th century, in the Kankali Tila mound. Jain legends state that the earlie ...

(Circa 1st Century CE) (Photo: Government Museum, Mathura) File:Amohini relief, Mathura, circa 15 CE.jpg, A Kankali Tila plate, with an inscription mentioning the year 42 of the reign of

Northern Satraps The Northern Satraps (Brahmi: , ''Kṣatrapa'', "Satraps" or , ''Mahakṣatrapa'', "Great Satraps"), or sometimes Satraps of Mathura, or Northern Sakas, are a dynasty of Indo-Scythian ("Saka") rulers who held sway over the area of Punjab and Math ...

ruler Sodasa File:Jina Parsvanatha ayagapata, Mathura circa 15 CE.jpg, The Jina Parsvanatha (detail of Parsvanatha ayagapata), Mathura circa 15 CE, Lucknow Museum. File:Colossal Parasol with Eight Auspicious Symbols - Circa 1st Century CE - Gita Enclave - ACCN 00-72-5 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5570.JPG, Jain Ashtamangala, 1st century File:Sivayasa Ayagapata, Kankali Tila, Mathura, 75-100 CE.jpg, Sivayasa Ayagapata,

File:Upper Half of Ayagapatta with Miniature Tirthankara and Other Sacred Symbols - Circa 1st Century CE - Chaubia Pada - ACCN 48-3426 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 5984.JPG, Upper Half of Ayagapatta with Miniature Tirthankara and other sacred symbols, circa 1st Century CE

References

Citation

Sources