Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 192

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
corridor. The temple is entered from all except the west sides; the side entrances are co-axially arranged with the lateral doors of the gudhamandapa. The temple has been extensively renovated subsequently.
The sanctumn (Pl. 70) is tri-anga on plan with bhadra, pratiratha and karna, each broken into three planes. Between the angas are saliläntaras and the saliläntaras between the karnas and pratirathas contain minor projected corners which are not carried down to the pitha. In elevation it shows five usual divisions. The pitha consists of six courses of two plain bhittas, jadyakumbha, karṇikā, cippikā adorned with caityagaväkṣa ornament, and a plain pattikä. The vedībandha displays khura, kumbha bearing half diamonds incised with flamboyant pattern, kalasa, antarapatta, and kapota decorated with udgama pattern. The jangha, supported by a mañcikā, is divided into two halves by a plain median band and is short and featureless. It is crowned by two-coursed stepped pediments carrying squatted monkeys at corners of the offsets. The jangha is followed above by a pattikä decorated with floral diamonds. The varaṇḍikā is made up of kapota and ribbed eave-cornice. Each bhadra above the pitha is treated like a balcony window. Its short wall shows a rajasenaka, vedikā, asanapatta and kakṣasana, all being plain but for the asanapaṭṭa which projects with rooflets over the offsets and recedes with kirttimukhas over the alternate recesses of the vedika. The asanapatta in the interior carries two plain squat pillars supporting a corrugated eave-cornice overhanging the plain architraves placed across the pillars. The space between the pillars is filled with perforated stone grilles through which diffused light enters the inner ambulatory. Pierced into the rajasenaka of the balcony on the north is a crude makara-praṇāla.
The pañcaratha squat sikhara of the sanctum shows a central tower marked by nine bhūmi-amalakas and forty-eight śmigas with elephant trunks and vanished Śrigas in between them. The various offsets of the central tower terminate at the skandha, but the cardinal ones extend to the grīva crowned by a large amalaka, female cauri-bearers and two male attendants. Each of
The gudhamandapa, articulated diagonally at the frontal pratiratha of the sanctum, is similar on plan and elevation to the sanctum, but it is larger in size and is covered by a bell-roof studed with twelve rows of bells alternating with twelve rows of kūtas (square shrine-models). On the top is a large bell made up of an inverted flat bowl, amalaka, kalasa and bijapuraka. At the base of the roof, in each cardinal point, is a niche containing an image of seated goddess with four
candrika, a smaller amalaka, kalaśa and bījapūraka. On the east facade of the sikhara is a male figure holding the flag-staff. There are three sculptured niches at the base of the Sikhara, each crowned by three-tiered, stepped, plain pediment. The niches contain four-armed sitting images of Vairotya (S), Cakreśvarī (E) and Manasi (N) accompanied by female cauri-bearers. On the front facade of the sikhara is a blind window with triple stepped pediment crowned by figures of elephants and lions.
The pñcaśākhä doorframe of the sanctum consists of patra, rupa, rūpastambha, rūpa and padma decorated by lotus scrolls, female attendants, Jaina goddesses, female attendants and lotus petals respectively. On the lower part of jambs stands a door-keeper with female cauri-bearers. The sill shows a semi-circular projection in the centre and a sculptured niche sheltering Sarvanubhuti on proper right and Ambika on proper left. The door-lintel shows a ghaṭapallava capital over the jambs on either end, while the intervening space is filled with the scroll-band brought from the inner jamb and a row of hovering Mälädharas facing the Jina figure of the lalata. The overdoor depicts five images of goddesses with female attendants. A similar door may be seen at the outer northern entrance. The ambulatory around the sanctum is roofed by three gajatālu courses. The inner wall of the sanctum carries an emptied niche crowned by a ribbed awning and an elegant udgama-pediment. Inside the sanctum is a large seated image of Neminatha carved out of black stone.