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THE JAINA TEMPLES IN KARNATAKA-A CANONICAL STUDY
jalaka.Another Jaina cave is in Aihole. It has an open mandapa and a Sabhamandapa. In the garbhgriha is the sculpture of Mahavira in Padmasana. On the sides are yaksha and yakshi standing. In the open mandapa are found high relief sculptures of Parsvanatha and Bahubali.
However, this cave is not as refined and elegant as that of Badami.
The noteworthy Jaina temples are - Meguti Jinalaya at Aihole, during the period of Kirtivarman II the jinalaya has built by Kumkuma Mahadevi at Lakshmesvar . The temple has a garbhagriha, antarala and a mukhamandapa . There is a narrow pradakshinapatha around the garbhagriha. In the garbhagriha attached to the wall has the sculpture of Mahavira. In the antarala was a fine sculpture of Yakshi Ambika sitting in ardha lalitasana. Over the garbhagriha is another garbhagriha which also has a sculpture of Tirthankara. The adhisthana has miniature decorations. The adhistana of Kapota Bhadra is upapitha type. It has upana, Jagathi,Thripatta kumuda, Gala and kapota mouldings. The bhitti is having brahmakanta bhittipadas and Kostas. (PL-NO-6A)
The Sankha Jinalaya at Lakshmesvar is dedicated to Neminatha . (PLNO-7) This temple has kapota banda adhistana. The dentils can be noticed on the kapota. The bhitti has Kostas in the centre.The koshta has kuta type of pavilion above.The prastara has uttara,vaiana, valabi and kapota stylized in the chalukyan idiom.The prasada is of kadamba-nagara type with brahmachchanda shikara. The pillars are of chitra khanda type with a square pedestal of mancha-bhadra type, a square shaft followed by sowmya kanta and Vishnu kanta features topped by kumbha, padma and mandi.The bhittipadas are of brahmakanta type.
The Jain temple at Hallur has garbhagriha, antarala, and rectanular Sabhamantapa. The garbhagriha has an upper storey and is similar to Meguti temple. The Sabhamandapa is bigger than garbhagriha and antarala and has a seperate mukhamandapa which is in ruins. Thus it shows a more developed architectural feature. The outer walls of the Sabhamandapa has low relief sculptures of Jaina Tirthankaras. Thus the Chalukyas of Badami contributed in ample measure to the development of Jaina temple architecture and laid firm foundations for further development during the Rashtrakuta period.
THE RASTRAKUTA PERIOD
The Rastrakuta period is recognised as the golden age of Jainsim in Karnataka. This is amply demonstrated by a large number of Jaina epigraphs and also generous grants to Jaina temples The Jaina monuments of the Rashrakuta period are found at Pattadakal, Malkhed, Lakshmesvar, Koppala, Bankur, in the present day karnataka and at Ellora in Maharastra which was included in the Rastrakuta empire, The jaina temple at Pattadakal consists of a garbhagriha, pradakshinapatha, antarala, Sabhamandapa and mukhamandapa, The garbhgriha door jamb has a fine makara torana, Opposite walls of antarala have Devakoshthas to house Yaksha and Yakshis, The sabhamandapas square and has four pillars in the centre, The mukhamanadapa has been provided with Kakshasanas, The garbhagriha has a dvitala Nagara sikhara, it has another garbhagriha on the first floor like the Meguti temple, The outer walls in the western and northern sides have Jina sculptures which confirm that this is a Jaina temple , The Jaina temple at
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