Jaina Temples of Western India

SR No.: 006730
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Harihar Singh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi
Publication Year: 1982
Total Pages: 362
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 27 MB

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Faina Temples of Western India
of the door of each devakulika is a moonstone which goddesses, Yamuna on proper right and Ganga on consists of an ardhacandra tied at both ends with proper left, both bearing a water pot. The udumgagaraka and Janikha.
bara has a semi-circular projection, now damaged, Each of the eight niches stands on a moulded
in the centre, a projecting kirttimukha on each side
of it, and diamonds on either extremity. The pedestal which consists of a khura, kumbha decorated
uttaranga continued the decorations of the sakha and with half diamonds, antarapatra and padma. Its
depicts a padmasana Jina in dhyānamudrā on the wall on the front shows two segmented circular
lalata. In front of the door is a moonstone which pilasters joined above by a lintel. It is surmoun
consists of an ardhacandra tied at both ends with ted by a ribbed eave-cornice and an udgama.
gagäraka and Sankha. A similar moonstone is also The devakulikās and the niches are dedicated to found below the stair resting on the platform. Tirthankaras, the images of whom are mostly gone. The roof of the porch, now plastered up, is shaded All these images were installed not at one time but by a corrugated eave-cornice. from time to time, as the inscriptions engraved
The eastern porch is completely gone and its upon their pedestals vary in dates.
doorway closed now. Its door frame is similar to that A niche of recent date is also built towards the seen in the northern porch, but the well preserved southern end of the corridor.
central projection of the doorsill here is carved
with stemmed lotus, and instead of river goddesses The exterior walls of the devakulikās and the
here are female pitcher-bearers on the lower por niches are similar to those found in the Mahavira
tion of the jamb. temple.
The western porch is similar on plan and design Porches
to the northern one, but it differs in matter of The northern porch is approached from the details. After an ascent of four steps is reached a ground by a double flight of steps, each comprising wide platform whence a flight of six steps, accomfive steps. The first flight leads to a platform on modated in the porch itself, leads to the door. The which stands the porch, and the second accommo- moulded pedestal evinces the same set of mouldings dated in the porch itself leads to the door. Square upto the antarapatra, but above that it has a kapota, on plan the porch rests on a moulded pedestal a fillet carved with diamonds, and a grāsapatti. which consists of a bhitta, khura, kumbha decorated The pillars and pilasters are of the same type, but with half diamonds, kalata, antarapatra and padma, their base shows only a kumbha decorated with half On the pedestal stand two pillars and two pilasters diamonds, and a kalaš a; the circular section of the supporting an uncarved samatala ceiling on a square shaft is surmounted by a band of kirttimukhas frame of plain architraves. The pillars are of the spewing chains that are secured below by a band octagonal variety. Their base consists of a khura. of diamonds and beads; and the capital displays a kumbha adorned with half diamonds, kalasa, antara- short round bharani of padma, topped by roll bracpatra, and kapota enriched with caitya-arch ornament. kets. The outer face of the architraves is plain, The shaft is octagonal at the base, sixteen-sided in while their inner face shows two horizontal decothe middle, and circular on the top, the last section rative bands, the lower displaying lotus scrolls being surmounted by a körttimukha-band. The which emerge from the mouth of a kirttimukha capital has a double-course round bharani of karnika depicted in the centre, and the upper representing a and padma, surmounted by four-armed brackets strip of diamonds. In the centre of the underside of carried by kicakas. The five-faceted pilasters are the architraves is represented in low relief a lotus similar to the pillars, but the antarapatra and the medallion having two rows of petals. The ceiling kapota are absent in the base, and the shaft is plain. is domical consisting of four courses, the first being The single-fākha door is decorated with foliate octagonal and the rest, circular. The inner face of scrolls and is surrounded by a band of lotus petals. the octagonal course depicts ardha padma enrichment On the lower part of the Sakha stand the river in beaded demi-circles, while its underside at each