In a significant find for Jain heritage in Eastern India, researchers have located a 10th-century shrine dedicated to the Tirthankaras in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. The shrine, attributed to the Somavamsi Dynasty, is constructed from a rare variety of chlorite stone, which has preserved the intricate iconographic details of the twenty-four Tirthankaras with remarkable clarity.
The temple's exterior walls are adorned with Shasana Devis (yakshis) and complex geometric patterns that differ significantly from the contemporary Brahmanical temples of the region. Local heritage enthusiasts and the State Department of Archaeology are now working to document the Sanskrit inscriptions found on the pedestal of the main Parshvanatha idol, which are believed to detail land grants from the Somavamsi royalty to the Jain ascetic community.