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 219

Jaina Temple Architecture: South India
of the Calukya king Pulakesin II, which has been composed by the Jaina monk Ravikirtti and records the foundation of the temple in A.D. 634-635 by him.
Originally, the temple had a square vimana with an ambulatory and a short ardhamandapa. Subsequently, the ardhamandapa was extended and a mukhamandapa (entrance hall) added, probably at the end of the 7th century A.D. Contrary to the plane and uncarved interior, the exterior wall of the sanctum is projected and recessed alternately in straight line, forming thus four projecting bays and three recesses on each side, but the two central bays on the front side are replaced by a plain solid wall and the intervening recess provides access to the sanctum from the ardhamandapa. The central recess on cach lateral side has a small stone grille. The two front recesses flanking the ardhamaṇḍapa also have similar grilles.
The adhiṣṭhāna (Fig. 102) of the sanctum rests on a basal course of kharaśila and consists above that of a jagati, three-faceted kumuda, kantha and kapota, the last two being carved. The kantha shows figures of Yaksas and elephants in panels formed by plain pilasters, and of crocodiles, geese and creepers in the recesses. The kapota is decorated with caitya-gavākṣas (nāsī) with jewelled bands in between them and creepers at corners. The nāsī slits contain figures of Kinnari-heads (celestial female minstrel); they are bordered by a band of rosettes and topped by lotus.
Each bay of the sanctum wall is framed between two square plain pilasters surmounted by roll brackets. The two corner bays contain uncarved plane slabs, while the two other bays on each face have emptied sunk niches. The wall is shaded by a kapota cornice marked by uncarved nāsī bosses. Above the kapota is a plank-type moulding (prati) followed above by kantha decorated with female figures and Yakṣis, now weatherworn. The parapet moulding has disappeared. The upper storey built right above the garbhagrṛha is plain and damaged. The sanctum is entered through a pañcaśākhā
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plain doorway from the ardhamandapa. The ambulatory has now been converted into nine cells for storage etc. The garbhagṛha doorframe is also plain and the Jina image on its crest is damaged. The enshrined image of the Jina is missing.
The ardhamandapa, which shares its adhisthana and wall with the sanctum, is a four-pillared rectangular chamber entered from the mukhamandapa by a stairway provided with elephant banister. Its pañcaśākhā doorframe is uncarved but shows a string of karṇakūtas and sālā above the door-lintel. The pillars are of square order; they are topped by roll brackets and are plain. The beams and ceilings borne by them are also plain.
The mukhamandapa is a square pillared hall resting on an adhisthana which is almost an exact imitation and continuum of the sanctum. It is landed up from the front by a laterally built stairway. It has four pillars in the centre and twelve pillars on the periphery, all plain and square. Between the periphery pillars is a short balustraded wall relieved with figure sculptures at intervals.
The dedication of the temple is not definitely known as the enshrined image has disappeared; the inscription also does not give any clue in this regard. However, from the presence of an image of Kuṣmaṇḍi (now in the Bijapur Museum) in the ardhamandapa it may be surmised that the temple was dedicated to Neminatha. Since the temple is a dated one, it gives a definite landmark for the study of early temples of the Dravida style.
Jaina Temple near Caranti-matha - This northfacing temple (Fig. 100; Pl. 80) consists of a twostoreyed vimana, an antarāla and a gūḍhamaṇḍapa, larger than the vimana, the whole originally surrounded by a low prakara with entrance on the north. The gudhamandapa is entered from all sides except the south which is attached with the antarala. Facing the west as well as east door of the gudhamandapa is a plain square shrine with vestibule. A separate porch is placed between the east door of the gudhamaṇḍapa and the