Rishabha, the First Jina

According to Jain tenets, Rishabha was the first of the 24 Jinas of our current world cycle and is the only one depicted with long locks of hair. He had been a king who was moved to seek an end to the cruel cycles of birth and death after witnessing a dancer die at his court in mid performance. As part of his act of renunciation, he pulled his hair out by handfuls, but the king of the gods interceded before he was finished; some long locks remain as his distinguishing feature. Indian sculpture during the medieval period (700s-1200s) is characterized by linear stylization, as seen here in the high arch of the eyebrows and deeply upturned corners of the mouth. During this time Jinas, like Buddhas, were depicted with the protuberance atop the head as an indicator of enlightenment.