Suisa Jain Deul (Irgunath), West Bengal

Address

Suisa Jain Deul (Irgunath), West Bengal

Dewli Rd, Simali,

West Bengal 723212

Moolavar

Santinath

Introduction

This jain deul is located in the Suisa village in the Tunturi-Suisa panchayat in the Baghmundi CD block in the Jhalda subdivision of the Purulia district in the state of West Bengal, India. Suisa is situated at a distance of about 50 km from the district headquarters at Purulia. Suisa Jain Deul (Irgunath Jain temple), is a protected monument under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI).

Puranic Significance

Jainism flourished in the western parts of West Bengal during the 10th-13th century. Many temples were built during this period. Purulia district had a large concentration of Jain temples. Apart from three dilapidated temples at Deuli, many statues of Jain tirthankaras and other Jainism-related articles have been found in the area. With some official initiative, these items have been shifted to a local one-roomed museum at Suisa. When the archaeologist J.D.Beglar explored the area in the 1870s, there were many temples.

Among the iconic images that can be seen are large Vishnu sculpture in the unusual tri-bhanga pose, Ambika (broken), a chaturmukha shrine of Rekha type with a seated tirthankara and images of different tirthankaras, and several related images. “Many scholars believe that a trade route passed through Purulia. The district’s temples and deities are mainly Brahmanical but have Jain influences at several places like Telkupi, Pakbirra, Deulghata, Budhpur and Suisa.”

According to Joseph David Beglar, an Armenian-Indian engineer, archaeologist and photographer, who explored Manbhum region in 1870s, reported the existence of several temples.

Beglar mentioned the existence of a panchayatan temple complex in Deuli. This type of temple complex consists of a large towering temple in the central part of the complex, with the complex is flanked with four minor temples at the four corners.

Sadly traces of the elaborate temple complex exist to this day. The two of the four corner temples stands to this day. The main temple is nothing but a heap of stones, intricately balanced one above the other. The two corner temples stands on newly built cement platforms and have largely been rebuilt. Both these temples are empty. The central temple stands on stone rubble, probably created by collapsed stones from the temple itself. Portions of the walls still stand with stones perilously balanced one above the other.

The entrance is on the northern wall and approached by a steep climb through the scattered stones covered with thick vegetation. The entrance is half covered by scattered stones and vegetation and a small gap of about 3 feet by 2 feet leads to the inner sanctum.

The inner sanctum, which has no stone paving, is located almost 5 feet below the entrance. It is so small that it can hardly accommodate two adult people. But unlike Banda the inner sanctum is not empty. It houses a three feat statue of a Jain Tirthankara. Jain Tirthankar statues are identified by the symbol at the pedestal. Sadly the statue is buried in the ground, making the pedestal invisible. But the historians opine that the statue is of the Santinath, the 16th Tirthankara. Like many of the Jain Temples and statues in Purulia, this one is also worshiped as a god and locals call it Irgunath.