Structural Temples of Gujarat

SR No.: 006728
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kantilal F Sompura
Publisher: Gujarat University Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 868
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

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The Structural Temples of Gujarat plane inner sanctum and Gūdhamaņdapa in its front. The present Śikharas also are too simple and crude. From this it can be assumed that many times repairs have been taken place. 68
The main entrance to it is through a domed porch in the east facing which is a six-pillared roofed pavilion-a rectangular walled structure-known as Hastiśālā. Entering the main door way, one notices an open wide corridor on a high platform running on all sides of the court yard of the shrine. At the outer end of the corridor is a row of about 54 cells with openings facing the shrine and their back walls forming a high outer wall enclosing the Vimalvasahi.
The shrine, with its Gūờhamaņdapa and the other maņdapas, is a structure cruciform in plan, its length being 30 ms. and its widest part is 12.9 ms. Through the open-space of the
68. The fact is that, in v. s. 1368 (1311 A. D.) Muslim invadar (Ala-ud-din Khilji ) destroyed both the temples (Vimala Vasahi and Luņa Vasahi ) at Delvada and the demolition must have been so extensive and thorough that almost all the sanctums and the gūụhamandapa as well as the images of the Tirthankars and the Portraits in Hastiśālā were broken to peices or mutilated and even the outer carvings of the main sanctum and their front hall did not escape destruction. It is for this reason, that the interiors of the sanctums and the Gūụhamaņdapas rebuilt in later repairs, have no ornamentation, and have quite plain interiors. Another extensive repair work (Jirņodhāra ) to this shrine took place in V. S. 1378 ( APJLS. Inscription No. 1). These repairs were carried out with the Joint donation of six brothers Vijada and others who were sons of Dhanasimha and grandsons of Gośāla of of Māņdavyapura ( modern Mandor near Jodhpur in Marwar ) and of their three cousin brothers Lāliga (Lalla) and others who were sons of Mahanasinh the sons of Bhima, the brother of Gośāla. Portrait sculptures of Gośāla and his wife Guņadevi and Mahanasinha and his wife Minaladevī, are still preserved in the Gūdhamaņdapa of the Vimala Vasahikā. It is just possible that these donors could not spend large sums over repairs and had to be satisfied with rebuilding the totaly destroyed parts with simple walls etc. void of fine carving.