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Marase’s Ruined Parshwanath Idol

    Ruined Parshwanath idol found at Marase, Mysore District, Karnataka, India. Photos by: Nitin H.P., Bangalore

    This is a small village situated at a distance of 11 Kms from Mysore & right opposite to the Mysore airport. The Parshwanath Tirthankara idol lies openly in the premises of Lakshmi temple of the village.

    The arched enclosure above the head along with the snake hoods and both the hands have been chopped off and cannot be found anywhere in the vicinity. We can only make out that this is a Parshwanath idol as we can find the remaining portion of the snake’s body behind the idol being carved in a zig, zag format. At the feet of the idol can be found the idol of Dharanendra Yaksha & the Padmavati Yakshi idol is missing. Looking at the idol it is clearly evident that the Padmavati idol has been cut. To ensure that the idol does not get mutilated further the villagers have burried the idol till the feet of the idol besides a tree.

    Is the Padmavati Idol being Worshiped as a Hindu Deity? As already mentioned the idol of Goddess Padmavati is missing from the feet of the idol and the Parshwanath idol is placed in the premises of the Lakshmi temple. However, entry to the Lakshmi temple is restricted to the villagers and it is said that only a Urs (one of the decendents of the Mysore royal family) family staying in the village and their known people of the upper class enter this temple. All attempts by the WWW.JAINHERITAGECENTRES.COM‘s (JHC) team (Nitin H.P. & Brahmamand Chipre) to get keys of the temple to have its darshan were futile. Given the above facts doubts have arose in the minds of researchers if the Padmavati idol has been used as a Hindu deity along with the missing snake hoods of Parshwanath. – Nitin H.P., Jain Heritage Centres

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