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 It must be noted here that Kirtimukha even in its early form is absent in the Brahmanical architecture as well as on the Jain and Buddhist stūpas. It seems to have been introduced during the Gupta period, after which it became a stock feature of the temples of Mediaeval India.
The Makara as a Vāhana of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamunā is found at two places only in the temples at Kadvar and Than. The figure at the former place is too indistinct to make any comparison with figures outside Saurastra. The figure at Than though not so indistinct, gives no indication of the shape of its mouth. Representation of its body with nearly 1 meter in length looks naturalistic like the early figures (at Bharhut; Cousens) but the tail is florid, like the tail of a similar figure from the 5th cent. Gupta shrine at Tigawa M. P.
Elsewhere in the Caulukyan monuments, the makara serves as a decorative figure, principally as a bracket of pillars with makaratoranas. Instances of these are found in the temples at Modhera, Somnath and Abu, and in the Kirtitoraņa at Siddhpur, Vadnagar, Kapadvanj and Piludra.
It is only the part of bust of the makara that is sculptured at these places. The tail, if any, has merged into the bracket. This form is more advanced than the earlier ones, but there is no striking difference. Even in the early stages a makara was never realistically sculptured. Its mouth was like that of an allegator or crocodile, but the tail resembled that of a fish.
Along with the makara may be mentioned the fish which is sculptured on the brackets of the pillars in the Navalakhā temple at Ghumali. This motive is totally new to Gujarat sculpture, and from the drawing it appears to be most realistically done. Its presence at Ghumali cannot be explained at present except as a clan (totemic) motive of the Jethvas of Ghumali,
An animal motive equally new as the fish is the 'griffin' which is found in the same tample attached as brackets to