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Vol. XXI, No. 3
101
ing of medieval times.
In later times building of stupa however, seems to have lost favour with the Jains by the close of the Gupta period. This is the reason that no stupa belonging to this period or of later period has come to light so for. The reason of this apathy is not known.
During the heyday of Buddhism the land was studded with the stupas of various size and form. The foreign visitors had se:n them and struck by their multitude and grandeur. No Jain stupa was, however, noticed by them.
The stupas passed through the phase of devastation. Once by Mihirkula (518-529) and then by the shaivites. The barbarian list for destruction and vandalism of the Huns account for a large scale destruction and dismantling of the stupas. There is every possibility that some Jaina stupas of later times might have been destroyed alongwith others by the above mentioned persons.
The Jains had built stupas in the memory of their saints. They were dedicated to the piaus personalities of their faith. It is a pity that most of them have not been unearthed so far. If the eminent ancient Jain sites are excavated, it seems possible that some such structures may come to light.
The Jaina stupas so far excavated are mostly votive stupas meant for dedication to pious persons. On the other hand the Buddhist stupas are mostly of sepultural or memorial nature.
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