Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

Author(s): Sagarmal Jain, Others
Publisher: Parshwanath Vidyapith

Page 134

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
in A.D. 959. There are other niches also but of no consequence.
The devakulikā attached to the east wall of the nālamandapa and opening into it stands on a pitha showing above the kharaśila a bhitta, chadyaki, jādyakumbha, karņikā, and a pattikā adorned with scrolls. The vedibandha of its wall consists of five usual members but the kumbha is adorned with half lotuses and half diamonds. The jangha-wall carries images of Dikpalas on the karnas, seated Jinas on the bhadras, apsarases on the pratirathas and vyalas in the recesses. The exterior wall of the antarala shows a standing figure of Sarasvati on both the east and west sides. Above the janghā occur an antarapatta adorned with stepped diamonds and a kapota. The pañcaratha ekāņdaka sikhara bearing a lattice of caitya-gaväkşas has a triple udgama-pediment at its base on each side.
The bifacial porch located in the eastern extremity of the nālamandapa opens up with a pair of carved pillars both in the inner and outer side. Each porch also has a ceiling carved with full-blown lotus flower
The date of the temple has been controversial for quite a long time. This is simply because the temple has been incessantly repaired. However, what looks tangible is that the jagati, bifacial porch, nalamandapa, the main temple complex (barring the sanctum sikhara) and the southern cloistered corridor were built at one time, i.e. when the Pratïhara king Vatsarāja (A.D.783- 792) ruled the country according to Jindaka's inscription. Jindaka repaired the nālamandapa. The devakulikä attached to the nalamandapa was built a little later. The torana-gateway was set up in A.D. 1018. About this time the sikhara of the main sanctum was also built At last, the six devakulikās (two pairs of them on the front and two at the back of the compound) were added by the end of the 11th century A.D. VARMAN
Varman, ancient Brahmāna, lies to the western extremity of Mt. Abu in Sirohi district of Rajasthan. The village of Varmana was an important seat of
Svetämbara monks of Brahmanagaccha. It has a small temple of Mahävira which belongs to this sect. The temple has heavily suffered from repeated renovations as well as damages.
Mahāvira Temple - The temple originally consisted of a sanctum, gudhamandapa, possibly mukhamandapa, and some devakulikās with colonnaded corridor. The devakulikās have disappeared and the basement of the corridor, which could be seen on the north and east sides some time back, has now been destroyed by recent renovations. The eastern corridor is reported to have possessed two flat ceilings, one carved with an image of Ambikä and the other with that of Gajalaksmi. Probably, it was a Caturvimšatijinalaya, a shrine with twenty-four devakulikäs, and if so it would be the earliest temple to have this feature. The gūdhamandapa is of no consequence as it is a product of later addition and restoration. At present, it has only fragmentary remains of the original temple which may be seen particularly in the basement, pillars and lintel.
The pitha of the sanctum is short and plain consisting of bhitta, jadyakumba and pattika. The vedibandha of the wall shows khura, kumbha, kalasa, antarapatta and kapota, but that of the gūdhamandapa has no kalaša and a medial kapota occurs on the wall. the pillars of the corridor are of the square order, with corners chamfered into three angles. Their shaft is elegantly carved with scrolls in medallions, patravalli, ghatapallava and volute pattern, and they are surmounted by atlantes brackets. In another variety the ghatapallva is absent. These pillars have close resemblance with those of the Hindu Brahmānasvāmi temple there. A lintel fragment depicting Jina figures may have belonged to the original doorway of the sanctum, as the present doorframe is datable to the late 10th or early 11" century A.D.
Stylistically, the older parts of the temple are datable to c. A.D. 750-775 and the devakulikā pillars, a century later.
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