Relief

Sammeta-Sikhara is situated near Madhuvan, in the Girdih District of Bihar. A winding path leads pilgrims some six miles from the town of Madhuvan to the hillside shrines of the tirthankaras. Tents, carriages, wagons and palanquins indicate the presence of pilgrims at the site. Hostels for pilgrims (dharamshalas) are visible in the foreground. There are a number of temples in the lower left of the panel. These were built under the patronage of the Shvetambara (‘white-clad’) sect, and some date from the period of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605).

This tirtha (pilgrimage site) continues to attract Jain pilgrims. Representations of Sammeta-Sikhara are often found in Jain households in the form of relief panels like this one, or more frequently painted on cloth, commercially produced devotional posters, and photographs.