{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O63591"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O63591/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EB8505/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EB8505/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EB8505","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JY0165","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O63591/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O63591","accessionNumber":"IS.541-1883","objectType":"Relief","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This carved marble relief depicts a remarkable vista of Sammeta-Sikhara, the Peak of Wisdom. It is the holiest pilgrimage site for members of the Jain religious community. Since Jains of all sects believe that 20 of their 24 <i>tirthankaras</i> (ford-makers) attained nirvana (liberation from the cycle of reincarnation) on the 20 peaks of this mountain. \r\n\r\nSammeta-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<i> tirthankaras</i>. Tents, carriages, wagons and palanquins indicate the presence of pilgrims at the site. Hostels for pilgrims (<i>dharamshalas</i>) 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). \r\n\r\nThis <i>tirtha</i> (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.","physicalDescription":"Places that had some association with the lives of the 24 <i>tirthankaras</i> (ford-makers) assumed a special status in the Jain world, as key centres of pilgrimage. This marble relief depicts a remarkable vista of Sammeta-Sikhara (the Peak of Wisdom), the holiest of Jain pilgrimage sites. As Jains of all sects believe that 20 of their <i>tirthankaras</i> attained nirvana (liberation from the cycle of reincarnation) on the twenty peaks of this mountain. 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 <i>tirthankaras</i>. Tents, carriages, wagons and palanquins indicate the presence of pilgrims at the site, and hostels for pilgrims (<i>dharamshalas</i>) are visible in the foreground. A number of temples are to be seen in the lower left of the panel. These were built under the patronage of the Shvetambara sect and some date from the period of the Mughal emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605). This <i>tirtha </i>(pilgrimage site) continues to attract Jain pilgrims. Representations of this holiest of Jain sites include relief panels, or more commonly, paintings on cloth or photographs, that are often found today in Jain households.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"marble","id":"AAT11443"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Marble, carved","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2010EB8505","2017JY0165"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CNSC","id":"THES49201"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Panel relief","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Jaipur","id":"x30863"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"19th century","earliest":"1800-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"68.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/04/2026","earliest":"2026-04-17","latest":"2026-04-17"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"127","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/04/2026","earliest":"2026-04-17","latest":"2026-04-17"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"117","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"27/10/2007","earliest":"2007-10-27","latest":"2007-10-27"},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"17/04/2026","earliest":"2026-04-17","latest":"2026-04-17"},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This panel was acquired in Jaipur in 1883 by C Purdon Clarke, who was appointed in July of that year as the Keeper of the Indian Collection at the Museum.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A carved marble panel depicting the Jain <i>tirthas</i> (pilgrimage sites) of Sammeta-Sikhara (the Peak of Wisdom).","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Pal, Pratapaditya Dr. (Ed.) <i>The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from India</i>, New York and London, Los Angeles County Museum of Art and V&A, 1995","id":"AUTH353257"},"details":"Guy, John, p.254","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Willis, M. (ed.) <i>India: the Art of the Temple</i>, Shanghai Museum, 2010","id":"AUTH353266"},"details":"pp.236-7, Cat. 3:12","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Jones, Cam Sharp. 'Highlights of Jaina Art in Shanghai', <u>Jaina Studies: Newsletter of the Centre of Jaina Studies</u>, Issue 6, March 2011, pp. 45-47."},{"reference":{"text":"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","id":"AUTH339669"},"details":"p.189, Cat.151","free":""}],"production":"Jaipur, Rajasthan","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"Jainism","id":"AAT143540"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["IS.541-1883"],"accessionNumberNum":"541","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1883,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LW5586"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-05","recordCreationDate":"2001-12-06","availableToBook":false}}