Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 185

Jaina Temple Architecture : North India
163
end in the interior it is enclosed by a low parapet wall with sloping seat-back. On the outer face of the seat- back are represented figures of amorous couples, Maladharas, geese, monkey, elephant etc. in roundels. This low opening wall not only provides sufficient light and air to the interior but also seats for resting the visitors. In the interior the nälamandapa shows eight dwarf pillars on the seat of the sloping seat-back, four octagonal massive pillars along the southern side and two pilasters flanking the devakulikās. Eight of these columns are so arranged as to form an octagon and support a domical ceiling with a short pendant. The dome consists of nine circular courses, all incised with lotus petals. As against a bold kirttimukha on each of the four basal corners, it shows two elephants lustrating a lotus plant.
Stylistically, this temple shows some change and advancement on the Mahavira and Santinātha temples and has close resemblance with a little later built temple of Neminätha at this site. Since the Neminātha temple is known to have been completed about A.D. 1136, this temple may have been built somewhat earlier, probably about A.D. 1100. This date also fits in well with the dates of the inscriptions found in the temple. The earliest of these inscriptions is dated in A.D. 1104, but the temple may have been built a little earlier than this date.
Neminātha Temple - It lies at a little distance to the south-west of the Mahāvīra temple. The general arrangement of its plan (Fig. 86) is similar to the Pārsvanātha temple consisting thus of a sanctum, gūdhamandapa, mukhamandapa, rangamandapa enclosed by ten devakulikās on the front and eight on each lateral side, and a nålamandapa, but it is larger in size and by virtue of its central situation it is most sacred temple of Kumbharia. The temple is entered only from the north through a partly rebuilt square porch approached from the ground by double flight of steps. From the porch a stairway of eleven steps leads up to the floor of the rangamandapa. The temple complex stands on a fairly lofty but unadorned jagati.
The sanctum is tri-anga on plan consisting of bhadra, pratiratha and karna, each indented into five or seven planes. Between the offsets are salilāntaras, each of which accommodates a minor projecting konikā. The frontal karna and pratiratha form a buffer wall between the gūdhamandapa and the sanctum.
In elevation the sanctum (Pl. 66) shows all the five divisions, viz. pītha, vedibandha, janghā, varandikā and sikhara. The pitha (Fig. 47) is high and very elaborate and consists of bhitta (now imbedded), jadyakumbha, karnika, antarapatta, chadyaki decorated with caityagavākṣa device, gräsapatti, gajathara and narathara. The narathara displays figures of dancers and musicians, warriors and fighters, amorous couples, teacher and disciples, etc. The vedibandha shows five usual members of khura, kumbha, kalaša, antarapatta and kapota, but ornamentally they are very rich carrying figures of Jaina goddesses on kumbha and diamonds on antarapatta. There is a fine makara-pranāla on the east. The wall, supported by a mañcikä (kapota like moulding with circular pendants underneath), carries four-armed images of Dikpālas in their correct position on the karmas and of Vidyādevis and Yaksis on the pratirathas. Framed between two circular pillarettes and topped by a two-coursed stepped pediment of caitya-gavākṣa motif, each figure stands in an elegant posture on a console decorated with lotus leaves. On two faces of the konkäs appear charming figures of apsarases making dance or music, securing her lower garment which is being carried down by a dwarf rode on her thigh, or striping her lower garment to show nudity. Above each apsara is also seen an amorous couple. The wall on each bhadra shows a projecting sculptured niche crowned by a ribbed eave-cornice and an ornamental pediment, but the harbouring image in each is missing. Above the statutory band comes a round bharaṇi of arris-cum-cyma recta clasped by drooping foliage. The cornice above the wall consists of a kapota and a ribbed awning. The whole of the multi-turreted sikhara, built of bricks and coated with plaster, seems to be a very late erection. The sanctum door is modern.
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