The idols/sculptures of Kankali Tila mainly belong to which religious sect?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

Kankali Tila, located in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, is historically one of the most important archaeological sites for understanding the development of Jainism in North India. While the mound's modern name derives from a Hindu Goddess, systematic excavations, particularly those conducted in the late 19th century, unearthed a massive and unparalleled collection of Jain sculptures, inscriptions, and architectural remnants, dating from the Shunga period (2nd century BCE) right up to the 12th century CE. These findings include numerous **Ayagapatas** (Jain tablets of homage) and Tirthankara images, confirming that Kankali Tila was the location of a major, flourishing Jain stupa complex for over a thousand years. This makes the **Jain** sect the primary religious affiliation of the site's discovered sculptures.

The incorrect option is 1:
While Mathura was a significant hub for Buddhism, especially during the Kushan period, the concentration of sculptures found specifically at Kankali Tila points overwhelmingly toward Jainism, not Buddhism. Other sites in Mathura, such as the Katra mound, are more famously associated with the largest collection of Buddhist art from this era.

The incorrect option is 3:
The Shakta tradition, which focuses on the worship of the Divine Mother or Shakti, is indeed represented in Mathura's history, and the mound's modern name, Kankali Tila (referring to Goddess Kankali), suggests a later Hindu influence. However, the vast majority of the antique archaeological finds—the foundational idols and sculptures—are definitively Jain.

The incorrect option is 4:
Vaishnavism, the worship of Vishnu and his avatars, is central to the identity of modern Mathura, the mythological birthplace of Krishna. While Vaishnavite relics exist in the broader Mathura region, the specific collection of ancient idols and ruins excavated from the Kankali Tila mound itself do not predominantly belong to the Vaishnav sect, but rather the Jain faith.