Antique Hand-Carved Jain Marble Mandala Panel Featuring Parshvanatha | Circa Late 18th Century | Rajasthani Low-Relief Sacred Sculpture

A rare architectural fragment of spiritual and sculptural significance, this late 18th-century Jain marble panel from Rajasthan embodies the timeless devotion and cosmology of Jain art. Executed in finely carved low-relief on circular marble, the composition centres on an unoccupied silhouette—a sacred absence surrounded by symbolism, geometry, and narrative ornamentation.

At first glance, the braided knotwork that encircles the panel evokes Celtic intricacy. But closer inspection reveals the unmistakable Jain iconography: a seated figure under the shelter of a five-headed naga (serpent), flanked by two richly adorned naga-human guardians, elephants, and floral scrolls. Together, they frame the space for Parshvanatha, the 23rd Tirthankara of Jainism, represented not with form, but with void—a concept deeply embedded in Jain philosophical aesthetics.

Sacred Emptiness as Divine Presence

The central seat—a silhouette in negative space—is not an absence, but a presence beyond form. In Jain doctrine, the divine is not anthropomorphic but metaphysical: pure consciousness, unbound by material traits. Hence, Parshvanatha is invoked not through figure, but through posture, structure, and symbolic reference.

Above the silhouette rises a fan-shaped serpent hood, denoting Dharnendra, the protector serpent who, according to legend, shielded Parshvanatha during deep meditation. This composition follows the classic Jain vertical division:

• The upper register symbolising the heavens

• The middle for the mortal realm

• The base rooted in the earth

It represents the Tirthankara as a cosmic pillar, anchoring all three planes of existence.

Iconographic Complexity & Decorative Precision

The intricately knotted outer ring, resembling mandala structure, is punctuated by lotus blossoms, champak flowers, and interweaving serpentine tails, all engraved with stunning precision. The geometry is meditative in its repetition—a visual prayer, not merely decoration.

• Two elephants, symbolic of strength and wisdom, flank the axis of the panel

• Hybrid snake-human attendants, offering chowries (fly-whisks), reflect the reverence given to the Tirthankara

• Every surface, including the inner recess and edges, features floral motifs, interlacing braids, and engraved swirls, echoing the eternal cycle of birth, rebirth, and liberation

The panel recalls the celebrated Parshvanatha relief at the Ranakpur Jain Temple, designed in the 15th century by the architect Deepaka. Though smaller in scale than Ranakpur’s monumental 5-foot mandala, this piece mirrors its philosophical intent and design structure, with a few innovations—chief among them, the central void.

Key Features:

• Date: Circa late 1700s

• Region: Rajasthan, India

• Material: Hand-carved marble

• Religious Context: Jainism (Tirthankara Parshvanatha)

• Carving Technique: Circular low-relief with dotwork, knotwork, and floral tracery

• Iconography: Serpent hood, sacred silhouette, elephants, half-serpent attendants, cosmic geometry

• Design Inspiration: 15th-century Ranakpur Jain Temple mandala

Display & Cultural Significance:

This panel would once have adorned the inner sanctum or wall of a temple, functioning as both symbolic map and sacred sculpture. Today, it serves as a unique spiritual object and museum-worthy artefact—ideal for:

• Museum or gallery collections on Indian spiritual sculpture or South Asian religious art

• Private collectors with an interest in Jainism, cosmic geometry, or sacred symbolism

• Feature décor in spiritual interiors, yoga studios, meditation halls

• Scholarly study of iconographic voids and philosophical abstraction in Indian art

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