Halingali (Jamakhandi Taluk, Bagalkot District, Karnataka), June 4, 2013: An ancient chaturmukha Tirthankara Jain idol has found in a cave on a hillock at Halingali. The idol was recovered at around 2.25 am when renovation work was in progress at one of the caves.
Features of the idol: It is a chaturmukha idol made of marble with Tirthankaras in padmasana on all the four sides. The idols are 16 inches high and 8 inches in width with a Srivasta symbol on their chest and are seated on a Kamala peetha inside a mantapa. The ears of the idol are seen touching the shoulders. Further, the mantapa enclosing the idols are covered by a dome shaped pinnacle. Usually such chaturmukha idols with in a mantapa are installed on the manastambha. There isn’t any symbol on the idols, so it is unclear as to which Tirthankaras they are. Muni Sri Kularatnabhushana has opined that the idol belongs to 13th century. The Chaturmukha idol is the third in the series of idols recovered around this area. Earlier, Jain idols were found on September 5, 2012 (Parshwanath Tirthankara idol) and November 1, 2012 (Padmaprabha Tirthankara idol).
It can be recalled here that there are around 772 caves in and around Halingali, Hanagandi & Teradala and are related to Jainism. Jain scholars are of the opinion that these caves had been carved out of the rocky mountains for the Jain munis while they were around this region. Further, inscriptional references mention about the existence of Jainism on the banks of river Krishna. The series of caves & the Jain idols found around this area prove this fact. – Jain Heritage Centres News Service