Kahaum pillar

Kahaum pillar is an Template:Convert structure located in Khukhundoo in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The pillar was erected in the 5th century during the reign of Skandagupta. The pillar has carvings of Parshvanatha and other tirthankars with Brahmi script.

Description

File:Kakandi.jpg

Carving of Parshvanatha at the plinth of the pillar

Kahaum pillar is a grey-sandstone that was erected during the reign of Skandagupta, Gupta EmpireTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn by a Jain ascetic named Madras. According to inscription of the pillar, the pillar was erected in the Jyeshtha month of year 141 of the Gupta era (A.D. 460–61).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

There is a Template:Convert on the pillar with writing with characters belonging to eastern variety of Gupta alphabet similar to that of Samudragupta inscription of Allahabad Pillar. The inscription is written in Sanskrit language, and written in verses except for the first word, siddhaṁ.Template:Sfn The inscription defines reign of Skandagupta as peaceful and describes him as "commander of a hundred kings".Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The inscription also has an adoration to Arihant of Jainism.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

There is carving of five Jain Tirthankara in kayotsarga posture — one in a niche square face, two below the circular stone and two on the pinnacle of the column. These images are identified to be of Rishabhanatha, Shantinatha, Neminatha, Parshvanatha and Mahavira.Template:RefnTemplate:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn According to inscription, these images were carved by Madra who is described as devotee of dvija, guru and yati.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

See also

• Gupta art
• Pataini temple
• Bhitari pillar inscription of Skandagupta

References

Sources

Books

• Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum (Revised){{#if:Bhandarkar|, Bhandarkar}. Archaeological Survey of India(1981)
• The Jain Iconography{{#if:Bhattacharya|, Bhattacharya}. Motilal Banarsidass(1974)
• The Gupta Polity{{#if:Dikshitar|, Dikshitar}. Motilal Banarsidass(1993). ISBN 9788120810242
• History of Civilizations of Central Asia: The crossroads of civilizations, A.D. 250 to 750{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. UNESCO(1996). ISBN 9789231032110
• The Jains. Routledge(2002).
• Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum{{#if:Fleet|, Fleet}. Superintendent of Government Printing(1888)
• Encyclopedia of Ancient Asian Civilizations{{#if:Higham|, Higham}. Infobase Publishing(2014). ISBN 9781438109961
• The Gupta Empire{{#if:Mukherjee|, Mukherjee}. Motilal Banarsidass(1989). ISBN 81-208-0440-6
• A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India: From the Stone Age to the 12th Century{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Pearson Education(2008). ISBN 978-81-317-1677-9
• Political Violence in Ancient India{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Harvard University Press(2017). ISBN 9780674981287
• Dynastic History Of Magadha{{#if:Sinha|, Sinha}. Abhinav Publications(1977). ISBN 9788170170594
• Proceeding of the Asiatic Society of Bengal{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Baptist Misson Press(1892)

Web

• The History of Jaina Monachism from Inscriptions and Literature. Bulletin of the Deccan College Research Institute({Template:Year).
• Skandagupta's Bhitari Grant To Visnu-sarngin And Bhitari Excavations. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress({Template:Year).