Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

SR No.: 006774
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith
Publication Year: 2010
Total Pages: 726
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 51 MB

Page 209

CHAPTER VI
JAINA TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE: SOUTH INDIA
All the Jaina temples of South India are located to the south of the Vindhya mountain. The entire transVindhya area is a peninsular land. It consists of a triangular plateau and extends from the Ajanta ranges in the north to the Nilgiris in the south and the Western Ghats in the west to the Eastern Ghats in the east. The long coastal line of the peninsula abuts Arabian sea on the west, Indian ocean on the south and Bay of Bengal on the east. Geologically, the northern parts of Western Ghats are made of Deccan trap, a rock in which the Jaina caves of Ellora etc. have been excavated. The south-west part of the Deccan plateau from Badami to Bijapur consists of fine-grained red sandstone hills which provide cliff-faces for the Early Calukya caves and quarries for the structural temples. The western part of Mysore plateau provides large quarries of fine-grained tale or soapstone to the Western Calukya and Hoysala temples. The building material in lower Krishna valley is marble like Palnad limestone which has been used by the early dynasties of Andhradeśa. The south-eastern portions of the Deccan plateau and the extreme southern part of the peninsula are made of such hard rocks as granite and gneiss which have been exploited by the Pallavas in their caves and structural temples, and by the Colas and the Vijayanagara rulers in their structural buildings. Historical Background
From about A.D. 550 to the end of A.D. 1300 the peninsular India, which roughly includes the five modern states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, was divided into a number of big and small principalities that always fought for the supremacy of their power in the region. Their administrative boundaries no doubt changed from time to time but at no point of time any of the ruling dynasties could bring the entire region into one political
unit. The political rivalries, however, did not much hamper the building activity and it went on unabated throughout the span of time. But owing to the religious insurgency of the Saivas and Vaisnavas and coming up of the Muslims in South India many Jaina temples were destroyed or converted, but not as much as we find in North India. Enough, however, remains to show the glory of Jaina edifices. In order to have a better understanding of Jaina buildings it is worthwhile to give a brief outline of the political and cultural condition of the period under review.
The Calukyas of Vätäpi (c. A.D. 550-750) - The Calukyas, Early Calukyas as they are called, ruled from their capital at Vatapī (modern Badami in Bijapur district of Karnataka) which was founded by Pulakesin I (A.D. 543-566). He was succeeded by his son Kirttivarman I (A.D. 566-598) who led successful expeditions against the Kadambas, Mauryas and Nalas. From his reign Jainism seems to hold grounds in the Calukya realm as is evident from a Jaina cave at Badami. After Kirttivarman his younger brother Mangalesa (A.D. 598-609) ascended to the throne as his own son Pulakesin II was a minor. He conquered Revatidvipa and defeated Kalacuri Budharaja. During his time Jainism continued to flourish as is demonstrated by the excavation of a Jaina cave at Aihole.
Pulakesin II (A.D. 609-642) was the most powerful king of the dynasty and defeated many kings, the noteworthy amongst whom was Harșa of Kannauj. But at the close of his reign he had to sustain a defeat at the hands of the Pallava king Narasimhavarman and as a result disorder prevailed in the Calukya kingdom. Normalcy, however, returned when his son Vikramaditya I (A.D. 654-681) ascended to the throne. Pulakesin seems to have patronised Jainism as the Meguti Jaina temple at Aihole was built during his reign