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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
assigned the date A. D. 156. According to Fürher, "the stūpa was so ancient at the time when inscription was incised that its origin had been forgotten"2
Lena was a temple ( devakula ) built upon the relics of the saints. Stambhas (thambhas) were also built to commemorate some sacred event and were constructed out of stone (sela ) or wood ( kattha ).* The free-standing stambhas or pillars near Jaina Vasati or dwelling is supposed to be a peculiar feature of Jaina architectures and the various stambhas belonging to the contemporary centuries also corroborate the same fact.
Deva-temples (devakulas or devakulikas ) were built at the centre or outside the villages or a town where people assmebled for daily prayer. Temples belonging to different sects like the Rudragļhas? or Matīgļhase have also been mentioned. The sacred place of worship whure the image of a deity was installed was known as caitya or pratimägļha.Devāyatanas were same as devakulas. 10
Secular Architecture--Secular architecture includes all the architectural structures apart from those mentioned above. The references to a large variety of palaces and houses, innumerable types of residential and occupational buildings, proper arrangement for ventilation and drainage, regular system of
1. Jain, J. P., op. cit, p. 238. 2. Ibid.; see also-Smith, V. A., Jaina Stupa and Other Antiquities
of Mathurā, p. 3. According to Shah, Devanirmita-stūpa of Mathurā is one of the earliest known stūpas in India and should be assigned to eighth century B. C. especially because the title given to it is in
accordance with the Satapatha Brāhman.-Shah, op. cit., p. 5. 3. FEYFA safe si ai o hufat-NC. 2, p. 225. 4. NC. 3, p. 149. 5. Jaina, J. P., op. cit., p. 232. 6. NO. 3, p. 334. 7. NC. 1, pp. 146-47, 8. NO. 1, p. 147.
9. qftaf afariNO. 3, p. 344. 10. Ibid.
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