Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 178

156
Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
centre of their soffit is a fine lotus. The dome (Pl. 59) On the lower part of the jamb stands a female carrying consists of eight circular courses representing water pot. The doorsill shows an inverted crescent with kirttimukhas, karņadardarikā, seated goddesses (two on foliage in the centre and a small lotus medallion on the north and south sides being Gajalaksmi), gajatālu, either side. The door-lintel continues the decoration of thirty-two, twenty-eight, twenty-four and twenty-foil the jamb and depicts Jina as crest image. The devakulikäs kolas respectively, the first being single-lobed and the are dedicated to various Tīrthankaras the images of other three seven-lobed (3+3+1). The padmašila-pendant whom have mostly gone. is composed of twenty-, twelve-, eight- and quatre-foil The balāņaka is a square pillared hall jutting out oversailing kolas and a staminal tube clasped by two from the outer enclosing wall of the devakulikās. It is laid rows of petals. From the third course of the dome out on the same floor level as do the devakulikās and is project out sixteen bracket figures of four-armed hovering enclosed on the outer side by a screen wall of perforated Vidyadharas and Naigamesa (at two places only) stone grilles fitted between the pillars. The screens are supporting a square block of stone carved with diamonds. cut up with various geometrical patterns and auspicious The four basal corners of the nave left out by the symbols. It is roofed by a plain and simple dome consisting formation of the dome are each filled with a large of ten circular courses carried by twelve octagonal plain kirttimukha, while the narrow soffits on north and south pillars. The balāņaka contains a stone plaque representing are filled with nicely executed creepers. As we enter the story of Aśvāvabodhasamalikā-vihāratīrtha which the rangamandapa from the front, there is a symbolical originally was kept in the Neminātha temple. representation, possibly of Padmasarovara, on its floor. Immediately to the south of the outer eastern Each of the side-aisles is divided into seven rectangular entrance is a four-faced devakulikā housing a bays, each having a fine samatala ceiling. Fourteen in Samavasarana plaque made of yellow marble. number these ceilings show Pancakalyānaka scenes śāntinātha Temple - It lies at a little distance (descent from heaven, birth, initiation, enlightenment in the north-west of the Mahavira temple. On plan it and death) of Sāntinātha, Mahāvīra and Rşabhanātha, closely follows the Mahāvīra temple but the balāņaka parents of twenty-four past, present and future is absent here, and the niches on the front of the Tīrthankaras, Caturvidhasangha (laymen, laywomen, rangamandapa are eight in number and are screened by monks and nuns), figures in boxes, etc.
double arcade of pillars (Fig. 84). From the presence The devakulikās, of which eight each flank on east of eight niches and sixteen shrine-cells this temple has and west and six align on the front in the form of become a Caturvimsatijinālaya, i.e. a Jaina temple with niches, are laid out on a floor higher than the twenty-four subsidiary shrines. rangamaņdapa and are approachable from the latter by The tri-anga sanctum displays constricted offsets a flight of three steps made along the entire length of and stands on a low yet plain pītha consisting of two their platform. They are confronted by a cloistered bhittas, jādyakumbha, karņikā and pattika. The corridor of one row of octagonal pillars carrying plain vedībandha is also plain consisting of five usual courses, lantern ceilings. The corridor is shaded towards the The janghā, divided into two registers by a plain median rangamandapa by an overhanging corrugated eave- band, is plain but for projecting sculptured niches on cornice. Provided with moonstone the doorframe of the cardinal offsets. The niches are not empty here but each devakulikā consists of one jamb decorated with contain images of Jinas sitting in meditative posture. alternate beads and diamonds, but two devakulikās have The varandika consists of two kapotas and a ribbed double jambs, the additional being decorated with scrolls. eave-cornice. The anekāņdaka pañcaratha śikhara (Pl. 62)
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