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128 :: Aspects of Jaina Religion
alike-the grace with which they are arranged, the tasteful admixture of domes of different heights with flat ceilings, and mode in which the light is introduced, combine to produce an excellent effect. Indeed I know of no other building in India, of the same class that leaves so pleasing an impression, or affords so many hints for the graceful arrangements of columns in an interior."
The other temples of such superb character are (i) the temple of Parávanātha at Khajurāho in Bundelkhand in Madhya Pradesh, (ii) the temple at Lakkundi in North Karnāțaka, (iii) the temple known as Jinanäthapura Basadi near Sravana-belagola in South Karnāțaka, (iv) Seth Hathisinghji's temple at Ahmedabad, and (v) the temple known as Hose Vasadi at Mūdabidri in South Kanara District of Karnāțaka.
As regards the spread of beautiful Jaina temples in India it may be noted that the number of such temples in India was considerably reduced during the Muslim period because the structure of Jaina temple was such that it could easily be converted into a mosque. The light columner style of the Jaina temples not only supplied materials more easily adopted to the purposes of Muslims, but furnished hints of which the Muslim architects were not slow to avail themselves. A mosque obtained in this way was, for convenience and beauty, unsurpassed by anything the Muslims afterwards erected from their own original designs. Thus the great mosques of Ajmer, Delhi, Kanauj and Ahmedabad are merely reconstruction on the temples of Hindus and Jainas. (B) Temple-cities
Further, the grouping together of their temples into what may be celled 'Cities of Temples’ is a peculiarity which the Jainas have practised to a greater extent than the followers of any other religion in India. Such notable temple cities are found, among other places, at (i) Shatruñjaya or Pālitānā in Gujarat, (ii) Girnār in Gujarat, (iii) Sammeda-Shikhara in Bihar, (iv) Sonăgiri in Bundelakhand in Madhya Pradesh, (v) Muktāgiri in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, (vi) Kunthalgiri in
