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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CHAPTER VI COMPARATIVE AND EVOLUTIONARY STUDY
The Jaina temples of Western India form one the Jaina temples of Rajasthan. Even its earliest of the richest and most prolific developments of the remains hail froin that region, viz. the Mabāvira Northern Indian temple-architecture. The majo- temple at Osia. It is, therefore, not unlikely if the rity of Jaina temples of our period were built du- Gujarati architect derived this element from the ring the period which roughly coincides with the adjoining regions of Rajasthan. sake of Somnath by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1025.26
As regards the devakulikās, their antecedents A.D. and the occupation of Gujarat by Allauddin of
may be seen in the Indrasabha at Ellora. But here Delhi in 1299 A. D. During this period it became
are found niches containing Jina images, arranged a powerful kingdom under the Solankis and acqu
at intervals around a pillared hall. In the Kailasa. ired the maximum size. The economic condition
nätha temple at Kāăci the sculptured niches are of the country was a flourishing one. The Jaina
arranged around an open courtyard, and in the community largely contributed to its economic
Vaikuntha Perumāla at the same site a cloistered growth. The state of Svetāmbara Jainism was
corridor is also added. But it is hard to say if the very high; it found keen royal patrons in the Sol.
devakulikās of the Jaina temples of Gujarat have ankis. With the efforts of Hemacandra it occupied
their derivation in these temples. It is equally even the status of state religion. Under these fav
difficult to say if the devakulikās were adopted from ourable conditions there were erected quite a large
the Yogini temples of Central India. According number of Jaina temples of which sixteen stand to
to the literary accounts, however, they were already this day in various states of preservation. There
in existence in Gujarat in the late ninth or early are three such temples of which only the photogra
tenth century A. D., as we learn from the Pattavalis phic record is available. All these temples provide
that king Yasobhadra, a local chief, built a Jaina us sufficient data for tracing the evolution of the
temple with 24 devakulikās at Dhimduānpura. style of these Jaina temples.
The actual instances are also available from the Before we trace the evolution of the style of early tenth century, as they are present in the Adithese Jaina temples it would not be out of place to nātha temple at Vadnagar. The Mahavira teme have a glimpse of the contemporary Jaina temples at Varman (Rajasthan) displays the earliest archa. built at Osia, Varman, Ghanerav, Pali, Sewadi, eological remains of 24 devakulikās. Nadlai, Nadol and Sadri in Rajasthan, Gyaraspur
The Jaina temples of Gujarat are also charactand Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, and Sravan
erised by some individual features. They have a belgol, Kambadhalli, Humcha, Lakkundi, Jinana
balanaka or nalamandapa in front of the temple and thapur and Halebid in Karnatak.4 Side by side,
a haftisala in the front or the back. But these comthere were built numerous Brähmanical temples
partments are present in a few temples only; perabout this time. A prolific building activity took
haps they were not very much in vogue. place in Orissa. The essential elements of plan, viz. sanctum
As regards the orientation of the temples, the and mandapa-closed or open or of both the types, Brähmanical temples of Gujarat and the outside are also present in all these contemporary temples, regions generally face the east, while the Taina but the compartments like mukhamandapa and deva temples of Gujarat face all except the south kulikās are essentially Jaina elements found in the direction. Taina temples of Gujarat, as they are also dedica The Jaina temple of this region always has a ted to the linas. The mukhamandapa is also found in pascaratha (tryanga) sanctum with three-fold divis