Figure of the Jain Hero Bahubali thumbnail 1
Figure of the Jain Hero Bahubali thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asian Sculpture, Room 47b

Figure of the Jain Hero Bahubali

Figure
1500-1700 (made), 1500-1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Karnataka (made)

This copper alloy figure is of Bahubali, a highly popular Jain hero. Members of the Jain religious community revere him as the first devotee to attain ‘moksha’ (liberation from the cycle of reincarnation) having followed the Jain path. He meditated in a forest for so long that vines grew around his legs and birds nested in his hair.

In 948 A.D. the Ganga general Chamundaraya commissioned a monumental rock-cut sculpture of Bahubali at Shravana Belgola, Karnataka. This image inspired the production of smaller devotional images of Bahubali that became popular in southern India. Such images were for household use and were often bought back by pilgrims from one of the Jain tirthas (pilgrimage sites) or centres of Jainism.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Metalwork
Jain
Religion
Object type
Figure
Titles
  • Figure of the Jain Hero Bahubali (generic title)
  • Gommateshvara (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Copper alloy
Brief description
Figure of the Jain Hero Bahubali or Gommateshvara, copper alloy; Karnataka, C15 - C17
Physical description
Small icon of the Jain Hero Bahubali in copper alloy.
Dimensions
  • Height: 26cm
  • Width: 8cm
  • Depth: 7.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
ಶ್ರೀಮತು ಹಂನೆಡುಬಿ ಧಮಿಳಸೆಟ್ಟಿಯ ಮಗ ದೇ ಉಸೆಟ್ಟಿಯ ಮಗಳು ಪಲಕ್ಕ ಎದ್ದಿಸಿದ ಗುಂಮಟ. (Inscription read by Professor Hampa Nagarajaiah, March 2017, who also provided the following information. The inscription is located around the paada peetha or pedestal of the image. It is written in Kannada characters. On the basis of their palaeography and style they can be assigned to the 16th century (later Vijayanagara period). The donor Palakka belonged to the merchant community. The personal names of her father and grandfather have the suffix 'seTTi', which means a businessman. The honorific 'naatha swami' is located on the top line above the main inscription on the base but continues the name of GummaTa [also known as Gommateshvara or Bahubali].)
Translation
Palakka commissioned this image of GummaTanaatha svaami (alias Baahubali). Palakka was the daughter of Devu seTTi who was the son of the respected DhamiLa seTTi of HamneDubi.
Transliteration
sreematu hamneDubi dhamiLaseTTiya maga de useTTiya magaLu palakka eddisida gummaTa naatha svaami.
Gallery label
  • 4. The Jain Hero Bahubali 1500–1700 Bahubali, also called Gommateshvara in south India, was a son of the first Jina. He underwent severe hardships in order to achieve salvation, to the extent that he stood motionless in the forest for so long that creepers grew around his legs. This figure was inspired by a gigantic 10th-century statue of Gommateshvara at Shravanabelagola. Legend tells that monstrous cobra-headed cockerels once terrorised the region around the statue. Two are depicted by this figure’s feet. The inscription states that it was commissioned by Palakka, daughter of a merchant. Copper alloy Southern India (Karnataka) Museum no. IM.14-1922 (03/07/2017)
  • THE JAIN HERO, BAHUBALI Copper alloy Karnataka. Deccan, South India 18th-19th century IM 14-1922(25/09/2000)
Credit line
Purchased from J.P. Rawlins, Esq., 8 Haven Green, Ealing, W.5
Object history
This figure shows Bahubali, the Jain hero, who renounced violence after brutal combat with his brother. He attained moksha (liberation from the cycle of reincarnation) following a protracted period of standing meditation (kayotsarga) in a forest, during which time vines became entwined around his body. Although not admitted into the Jain pantheon of Jinas (great spiritual teachers or 'victors'), he is effectively worshipped as one. Bahubali is also known as Gommata or Gommateshvara, especially in southern India.

Small devotional images of Bahubali or Gommateshvara are popular in southern India. They are inspired by the monumental rock-cut sculpture of Bahubali at Shravana Belgola, Karnataka,which was commissioned in 948 A.D. by the Ganga general Chamundaraya. Ever since this time, miniature replicas of the sculpture at Shravana Belgola have continued to be produced as souvenirs for pilgrims.

Purchased from J.P. Rawlins, Esq. Register entry 20 March 1922.
Subject depicted
Jainism
Summary
This copper alloy figure is of Bahubali, a highly popular Jain hero. Members of the Jain religious community revere him as the first devotee to attain ‘moksha’ (liberation from the cycle of reincarnation) having followed the Jain path. He meditated in a forest for so long that vines grew around his legs and birds nested in his hair.

In 948 A.D. the Ganga general Chamundaraya commissioned a monumental rock-cut sculpture of Bahubali at Shravana Belgola, Karnataka. This image inspired the production of smaller devotional images of Bahubali that became popular in southern India. Such images were for household use and were often bought back by pilgrims from one of the Jain tirthas (pilgrimage sites) or centres of Jainism.
Bibliographic references
  • Guy, John Indian temple sculpture . London: V&A Publications, 2007 p.115, pl.128
  • Willis, M. (ed.) India: the Art of the Temple, Shanghai Museum, 2010 pp.242-3, Cat. 3:15
  • Barnard, Nick, Arts of Asia, Vol. no. 46, no 1, "The Jain Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum". January-February 2016 p. 99, no. 11
  • L'escultura en el temples indis : l'art de la devoció : exposició organitzada per la Fundació "La Caixa" i el Victoria & Albert Museum, Londres. [Barcelona: Obra social, Fundació "la Caixa", c2007 Number: 9788476649466 p.179, Cat.136
Other number
RP 1922/1691 - RF number
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IM.14-1922

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Record createdNovember 15, 2001
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O63309/figure-of-the-jain-hero-figure-unknown/
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