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Pārsvanātha in Figural Art of Karnataka
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The Pārśvanātba Sculpture, Humca
Pombuca or Humca is one of the greater Jaina centres in Karnataka, even now a pilgrim centre known for the Padmavati temple, worshipped by the non-Jaina communities as well. Historically, it was the capital of the śāntaras from the eighth century onwards, who got built many caityālayas dedicated to Pārsvanātha, Bahubali, and a Pañcakūta-basadi collectively during 9th-12th centuries A.D. (M.A. Dhaky has studied the sculptural wealth of this place that led him to identify the art as distinct and to describe it as "śāntara school of art". :)
In the first hall of the Pärsvanātha-basadi are two almost identical, large, sculptural steles (3.0 x 1.0 m. approximately) of Pārsvanātha. They exhibit a further elaboration of the upasarga-theme (Plate 65) first noticed at Bādāmi. The Tirtharkaras are in kbadgäsana. The näga raising his body spirally behind him, spreads his hoods over the Jina's head. Demon Kamatha, with a host of his attendants with stones and sticks, is shown fiercely attacking the Jina from all sides. But Pārsvanātha remains unperturbed like the sea receiving roaring and rushing rivers only to be merged in it, loosing their identities, indeed an excellent composition and equally a masterly portrayal in which every figure appears distinctly in different mood and posture.
The Pārsvanātba - basadi, Śravaņa Belgola On the summit of Candragiri, Pārsvanātha's is one of the several basadis standing to the south beside the “Kattale” and “Candragupta” basadis. The plan of the Pārsvanātha-basadi is somewhat unusual. Externally, the width of the garbbagrha is as much as that of the gūdhamandapa. (Generally, the width is kept to half of the gudhamandapa elsewhere. But rarely a basadi of the type of Pārsvanātha is found at Aihole (i.e. Caranti Math group), Ron (Dharwad District). In such cases it is found that there are two small chambers on the sides of the garbhagrha meant for storing valuables, articles of worship, or the Tirtharkara images made of precious stones such as crystal, jasper, lapis-lazuli, etc., accessible only from the garbhagyha though a small opening in the side walls. But in the basadi in Sravana Belgola there are no such indications of the existence of side chambers. Whether in course of time the original openings were later permanently sealed is a matter to be investigated. But what is really noteworthy here is the colossal figure of Pārsvanātha as well as the mode of providing entry to the garbhagyha. Here a severely plain and narrow doorway occurs, only a little wider than the maximum width of the image. Consequently, devotees in the gūdhamandapa feel that the colossal image is set
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