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 75

Rock-cut Jaina Architecture
hill is called Ankai and has three Brahmanical caves. To its north-east is the Tankai hill which has a group of seven Jaina caves with rich sculptures, now much defaced. These Jaina caves had been excavated in the 11th-12th century A.D.
Cave 1 - This is a two-storeyed Jaina cave (Figs. 32-34). The lower storey (ground floor) consists of a rectangular verandah with two pillars and two pilasters in front, a four-pillared square hall with a cell excavated deep into the left wall, and a shrine, also square, at the back. The pillars of the verandah are very ornamental and bear a dvärapāla like figure at the base of each, facing each other. Between the pillar and pilaster, on either side, is low a parapet wall having decorative designs on the outer face. A navaśākha door (Fig. 42) leads from the verandah to the hall and is adorned with diamonds alternating with beads, floral scrolls, Mäladharas, apsarases, three lalităsana divinities with two attendants each (stambhasākha). vyälas, foliated creepers, floral scrolls, and diamond-and-bead band bordered by bakula flowers respectively. Similar strings of bakula flowers also flank the second sākhă counted from inner side. The lower part of doorframe, on each side, is occupied by a dvärapāla with eight female attendants. The door-lintel, which continues the decorative designs of the three inner jambs, depicts a seated Jina on the crest and divine figures, in lieu of Mälädharas, above them. The door is canopied by three full and two quarter-sized kapota cornices with deep recesses in between them and pairs of geese on their facade. Above the cornice is a sculptural panel representing five seated Jinas in projecting niches and śārdūlas in alternate recesses. This type of ornamental doorframe may also be seen in the contemporary structural temples of the region.
The four pillars of the hall are also richly carved; the brackets of the pillar capitals are carried by fourarmed bhāraputrakas. The central ceiling enclosed by thin flat architraves shows a large lotus flower with
three concentric rows of petals and a pistil.
The doorway of the shrine is but an imitation of that of the entrance door. There is nothing inside the shrine.
The upper storey (upper floor) consists of only verandah and hall. The verandah has two pillars with low parapet at both ends which are similar to those found in the lower storey; but they are not so richly carved. The hall inside is quite plain.
Cave 2 - This is also a two-storeyed cave (Figs. 35-37; Pl. 15) similar to cave 1, but here the verandahs are shut by perforated screen wall with an entrance, and a vestibule has been added in front of the shrine. The verandah of the lower storey measures 26 ft. wide, 12 ft. deep and 972 ft. high and has a large figure of Sarvänubhuti seated on couchant elephant at the west or left wall and of Ambikā mounting a lion at the east, both carved out of separate blocks of stone and set into a niche cut out to receive them. The doorway of the hall is of the pañcaśākā variety and is elaborately carved with floral scrolls, Gandharvas, ornate stambha, foliated scrolls and vyālas respectively. On the lower part of the door, on each side, is a dvärapäla with four attendants; the lintel depicts a seated Jina on the dedicatory block and miniatures of five Nägara śikharas above it. The hall, about 25 ft. square, has four ornate pillars supporting a flat ceiling carved with a large lotus. The vestibule is small and plain and has two carved pilasters at the entrance. The shrine doorway is also plain; it only has a pair of pilasters on each side and a Jina figure on the crest of the lintel. The interior of the shrine is about 13 ft. square and contains only a seat for the image with a high back rounded at the top.
A rocky stair from the right end of the lower verandah leads to the verandah of the upper storey, which has a screen wall with a plain door in the front. The screen wall is pierced with small square holes to admit light. At either end of the facade of the screen wall is a figure of full-sized lion carved in high relief.
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