Bhattarakas & The Development Of A Medieval Pilgrimage Site: Study Based On Idol Inscriptions From Ukhalad, District Parbani, Maharashtra

Abstract

Scholarship on Digambara Jainism and medieval pilgrimage centers has generally viewed Tirthas in terms of their restoration or development by the Bhattarakas in the form of Matha institutions. However, the objective of this paper is to argue that sometimes pilgrimage centers were developed by Bhattarakas, without Mathas, cutting across lineages through the intervention of Jain lay patrons where the consecration of Jina images was a central component. It thus, examines a prominent historiographical view-point advanced by Michael Carrithers of Bhattarakas as ‘Caste Gurus’ and as ‘Routine Leaders’ in Medieval Deccan. In support of my argument, the paper studies the corpus of idol inscriptions from Ukhalad, district Parbani, Maharashtra contained in Jain Shilalekha Sangra of Prof Johrapurkar. These inscriptions range from the period late fifteenth to late seventeenth century. The paper attempts to study the Bhattaraka lineages recorded in these inscriptions as well as the patrons sponsoring these image consecrations in order to suggest that there was far greater activity by the Bhattarakas directly and indirectly through their followers in the creation of Ukhalad as a Jain pilgrimage center. The paper is divided into following sections:

• Introduction


• The meaning of pilgrimage across religious traditions;


• Medieval Jain meanings of pilgrimage (Tirthas) and the role of the Bhattarakas, with a brief scholarly perception about these renouncers;


• Descriptions of the idol inscriptions from Ukhalad district, Parbani and the names of Bhattarakas;


• Patrons or lay sponsors recorded in the context of idol installations;


• Concluding remarks.