Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 203

Jaina Temple Architecture : North India
181
in the third quarter of the 12th century A.D. This also an udgama-pediment. The janghä on each bhadra shows fits in well with dates of numerous inscriptions found a sunk niche. Above the jarghã comes a round bharani in the temple which range from A.D. 1166 to 1178. with dropping foliage. The varandikā consists of a SAROTRA
kapota and a ribbed eave-cornice. The sikhara, built of It is a small village lying one and a half miles bricks and plastered up with lime, is of the anekaņdaka west of Sarotra Railway Station in the Banaskantha mode and seems to have been rebuilt. The interior of district of Gujarat. It is just six miles from Candrāvati, the sanctum is square with a projecting angle at each the capital of the Paramāras of Abu. Candravati was corner. The enshrined image has gone but an inscription a prosperous city as it lay on an ancient trade-route. of A.D. 1632 definitely makes its dedication to Mahāvīra. Its material prosperity is also attested to by numerous The gūdhamandapa is also tri-anga and follows temples found in and around the city. One of these is the vertical lineaments of the sanctum, but its roof has a magnificent Jaina temple at Sarotra built of white collapsed beyond recognition. There is a moonstone in marble and going by the name of Bavanadhvaja Jinālaya, front of its entrance door. The interior shows an octagonal but it is very unfortunate that nothing of the temple arrangement of eight pillars attached at eight angles of remains at the site, only its photographic record is its wall. The pillars (Fig. 95) are of the square order. available to us.
They have a moulded base; their shaft is square below, Bāvanadhvaja Jinālaya - It consists of a sanctum, octagonal in the middle and circular above, all very antarāla, gūdhamandapa, mukhamandapa and richly carved. The capital consists of a double-coursed rangamandapa, the whole standing in an oblong courtyard round bharaṇi topped by roll-brackets. surrounded by fifty-two devakulikās with a colonnaded The mukhamandapa is reached from the corridor (Fig. 91). The temple-complex stands on a high rangamandapa by three stairways of four steps each and platform which is reached from north through a porch is divided into nine bays by fourteen pillars and two landed up from the ground by a flight of nine steps. pilasters arranged in four lines of four each. The midThe temple was already in ruinous condition when it staircase is wider and has a moonstone below. All the was first reported, and subsequently it was ruthlessly pillars (Fig. 94) are ornate and octagonal but not as rich plundered for building material. It has derived its present as those of the gūdhamandapa. The architraves put name from the number of flag-staves (dhvaja) installed across the pillars show two ornamental bands of lotus on the spires of fifty-two (bavana) devakulikās. Scrolls and diamonds respectively There is a niche on
The sanctum is tri-anga on plan displaying five either side of the entrance door of the gūdhamandapa. planes on bhadra and three each on karna and pratiratha. The rangamandpa is laid out on a square platform Its frontal karna and pratiratha form the antarala to which is slightly raised from the level of the courtyard. demarcate the gudhamandapa.
It shows an arrangement of eight pillars on three sides, In elevation it shows five usual parts. The pitha while the fourth side is shared by the front row of four is embedded in debris. The vedībandha consists of mukhamandapa pillars. On the front it is connected with khura, kumbha carrying figure sculptures on the body the corridor of the devakulikās by three bays. The and foliage on the shoulder, kalasa decorated with rangamandapa is roofed by a dome supported on an beaded garlands and rosettes, antarapatta adorned with octagonal frame of architraves placed over the pillars. diamond-and-double volute pattern, and a kapota. The All the pillars (Fig. 93) of the rangamandapa are of the janghā, supported by a mañcikä, carries framed figures octagonal order and are provided with attic pillars. They of standing gods and goddesses, each surmounted by have a moulded base; their shaft is octagonal below,
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