View source for Kankali Tila

{{Short description|Mound located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| native_name = Jaini Mound
| image = [[File:Kankali Tila.jpg|300px]]<br>General view of the excavations at Kankali Tila in January 1889<br>[[File:Mathura archaeological sites.jpg|300px]]<br>Kankali Mound in Map of Mathura (1901)
| coordinates = {{coord|27.491389|N|77.673889|E|region:IN-UP_type:landmark|format=dms|display=it}}
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| height = 200
| mark-coord1 = {{coord|27.491389|N|77.673889|E}}
| mark1 = Archaeological site icon (red).svg
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Kankali Tila in Mathura
| alt = Kankali Tila
| caption =
| map_type = India#India Uttar Pradesh#Asia
| relief=yes
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{{Multiple image
| perrow = 2
| image1=Parsvanatha ayagapata, Mathura circa 15 CE.jpg
| caption1= Pārśvanātha āyāgapaṭa, a tablet of homage to [[Parshvanatha]], dates back to 15 CE
| image2=Ayagapata votive plate Kankali Tila.jpg
| caption2=''Ayagapata'' votive plate excavated from Kankali Tila, c. 25-50 CE
| image3=Kankali Tila plate of Sodasa.jpg
| caption3=[[Kankali Tila tablet of Sodasa|A Kankali Tila plate]], with an inscription mentioning the year 42 of the reign of [[Northern Satraps]] ruler [[Sodasa]].<ref name="Smith">The Jain stûpa and other antiquities of Mathurâ by Smith, Vincent Arthur [https://archive.org/details/cu31924012251140 Plate XIV]</ref>
| image4=Kankali Tila Ayagapata without inscription.jpg
| caption4=Dhanamitra Ayagapata, c. 25 CE
}}
{{Multiple image
| perrow = 2
| image1=Kankali Tila inscription of Sodasa.jpg
| caption1=The inscription mentioned in [[Kankali Tila tablet of Sodasa]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chandra |first1=Ramaprasad |title=Memoirs of the archaeological survey of India no.1-5 |date=1919 |page=[https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.59235/page/n26 22] |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.59235|language=en}}</ref>
| image2=Kankali Tila inscription of Kanishka Year 5 and Year 7.jpg
| caption2= Kankali Tila inscription of [[Kanishka]], Year 5 and 7
}}
{{Jainism}}
'''''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 in 1890-91 by [[Alois Anton Führer]] (Dr. Führer).{{sfn|Smith|1901|p=Introduction}}

==Images and inscriptions==
The mound almost rectangular in shape is 500 feet long by 350 feet broad.{{sfn|Smith|1901|p=Introduction}} ''Kankali Tila'' brought forth many treasures of [[Jain art]]. The archaeological findings testifies the existence of two [[Jain temple]]s and ''[[stupas]]''. Numerous [[Jain sculpture]]s, ''[[Ayagapata|Ayagapattas]]'' (tablet of homage),{{sfn|Das|1980|p=171}} pillars, crossbeams and lintels were found during archaeological excavations.{{cn|date=October 2025}} Some of the sculptures are provided with inscriptions that report on the contemporary society and organization of the [[Jain community]].{{cn|date=October 2025}} Most sculptures could be dated from the 2nd century BC to the 12th century CE, thus representing a continuous period of about 14 centuries during which [[Jainism]] flourished at [[Mathura]]. These sculptures are now housed in the [[State Museum Lucknow]] and in the [[Mathura Museum]].{{cn|date=October 2025}}

Images of [[Rishabhanatha]], first ''tirthankara'' in Jainism, dating back to 100 BCE were found along with images of Nilanjana's dance in his court.{{sfn|Cort|2010|p=25}} Images of [[Neminatha]], 22nd ''[[tirthankara]]'' in Jainism, is found in Kankali Tila dating back to [[Kushan Empire|Kushan]] period depicts him as a cousin of [[Krishna]] and [[Balarama]].{{sfn|Vyas|1995|p=19}} Headless image of [[Parsvanatha]], 23rd ''tirthankara'' in Jainism, is dated from 100 BCE to 75 BCE.{{sfn|Cort|2010|p=25}}

== Excavation ==
[[Alexander Cunningham]] worked at the western end in March and November 1871. The objects found by Mr. Cunningham were all Jain, with the exception of one ten-armed Brahmanical figure. Mr. Growse operated on the northern portion in 1875. In Volume XVII of the "Reports" (page 111), Mr. Cunningham noted that in the season of 1881-82 he dug up many Jain figures, including one inscribed with the name of [[Vardhamana]], the last of the 24 Jain ''[[Tirthankara]]''.{{sfn|Smith|1901|p=2}}

Dr. Burgess and Dr. Fuhrer extended the excavations to the eastern end at different times from 1887 to 1896. Mr. Harding, a predecessor of Mr. Growse as Magistrate of Mathura, also made some excavations. The excavations at Kankali Tila acted as a testimony to the claims made by Jains regarding the great antiquity of their religion.{{sfn|Thomas|1877|p=80}}

== Significance ==
The sculptures and the inscriptions found at Kankali Tila suggest that in that period a clear Digambar-Shwetabar division had not risen. The Tirthankar images are all unclothed and monks are represented as not wearing a loincloth, but with cloth on one forearm as described in ancient [[Śvetāmbara]] texts such as the [[Ācārāṅga Sūtra]] and the [[Kalpa Sūtra]]. The names of divisions of the monastic orders in inscriptions found at the ''Kankali Tila'' match exactly with those given in the ancient [[Śvetāmbara]] text [[Kalpa Sūtra|Kalpasutra]].<ref>The Jaina Stupa at Mathura: Art and Icons, Renuka Porwal, Prachya Vidyapeeth, Shajapur, 2016</ref>

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Mahaveer.jpg|A quadruple Jain Image
File:Four Fold Jain Image with Suparshvanath and Three Other Tirthankaras - Circa 1st Century CE - ACCN 00-B-67 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 6023.JPG|Quadruple Jain Image, excavated from Kankali Tila, c. 1st century CE
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| 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) 
File:Zina in Meditation - Kushan Period - ACCN 00-863 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 5978.JPG|Jina in meditation, [[Kushan art]]
File:Quadruple Jain Images.jpg|Three Quadruple images of Tirthankar excavated from Kankali Tila, c. 42 BCE(V.S. 15)
File:Jain images (Kankali Tila).jpg|Images of Tirthankar Mahavira excavated from Kankali Tila
File:Colossal Head of Jina - Gupta Period - Kankali Mound - ACCN 00-B-61 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5454.JPG|Colossal Head of Jineshvara (Gupta Period)
File:Jain Tirthankara Naminath - Circa 12th Century CE - ACCN 00-B-77 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5080.JPG|Jain Tirthankara Lord Naminatha - (Circa 12th Century CE) ACCN 00-B-77. Government Museum Mathura
File:Jain Tirthankara Parsvanatha - Post Gupta Period - Kosi Kalan - ACCN 18-1505 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5407.JPG|Tirthankara Lord Parsvanatha (Post Gupta Period) - Kosi Kalan ACCN 18-1505 Government Museum Mathura
File:Jain Tirthankara Neminath - Circa 12th Century CE - ACCN 00-B-77 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5079.jpg|Tirthankara Lord Neminatha (Circa 12th Century CE) ACCN 00-B-77 Government Museum Mathura
File:Tirthankara Head - Kushan Period - ACCN 18-1536 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-24 6040.JPG
File:Jain votive plaque.jpg|Jain votive plaque (c. 200 CE)
File:Pillars Kankali Tila.jpg|Pillars
File:Ambika - Mediaeval Period - ACCN 00-D-7 - Government Museum - Mathura 2013-02-23 5409.JPG|Jain Yakshini Ambika (Mediaeval Period) Government Museum Mathura
File:Jain statue dated Samvat 1134 (1077 CE), Kankali Tila, Mathura.jpg|Jain statue inscribed [[Samvat]] 1134 (1077 CE), about 60 years after the sack of Mathura by [[Mahmud of Ghazni]]. Kankali Tila, Mathura.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Jain Stupa And Other Antiquities Of Mathura|date=1901|page=[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.61190/page/n24 53]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.61190|language=en}}</ref>
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{stack|{{portal|India|Architecture}}}}
* [[List of Monuments of National Importance in Agra circle]]
* [[Chausa hoard]]

== References ==
===Citations===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
* {{citation |last=Cort |first=John E. |author-link=John E. Cort |title=Framing the Jina: Narratives of Icons and Idols in Jain History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MDBpq23-0QoC |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2010 |orig-year=1953 |isbn=978-0-19-538502-1 }}
* {{citation |last=Das |first=Kalyani |title=Early Inscriptions of Mathurā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UuwLAAAAIAAJ |year=1980 }}
* {{citation |last=Smith |first=Vincent Arthur |title=The Jain stupa and other antiquities of Mathura |year=1901 |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924012251140 |publisher=Allahabad, Printed by KFrank Luker, Superintendent, Government Press, North-Western Provinces and Oudh }}
* {{citation |last=Thomas |first=Edward |title=Jainism or The early faith of Asoka |journal=Nature |volume=16 |issue=407 |pages=329 |url=https://archive.org/details/jainism_00thom |year=1877 |publisher=London, Trübner & co. |location=London |bibcode=  1877Natur..16..329. |doi=10.1038/016329a0 |doi-access=free }}
* {{citation |editor-last=Vyas |editor-first=Dr. R. T. |author-link=R.T. Vyas |url={{Google books|fETebHcHKogC|plainurl=yes}} |title=Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography and Allied Subjects |publisher=The Director, Oriental Institute, on behalf of the Registrar, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara |year=1995 |isbn=81-7017-316-7 }}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Kankali Tila}}

{{Jain history}}
{{Jainism topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Jain architecture]]
[[Category:Mathura]]
[[Category:Mathura art]]
[[Category:Monuments of National Importance in Uttar Pradesh]]