Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 248

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
resemble those noticed in the antarala of the Triple Shrine. They stand on a square moulded base. Their capital consists of a sharp-edged flat ghata, ūdhvapadma like pāli, square phalaka and four-armed bevelled corbel. Their shaft is divided into four sections. The first is square and plain. The second is circular with ratnapattikā in the middle or at the top. The third is treated like a plain cube or a circular section topped by a band of beaded garlands. The fourth consists of a kalasa clasped by triangular plain blocks. The pillars support a heavy projected eave-cornice.
The portico is approached from the ground by a flight of three steps cut across the adhisthāna mouldings. From the portico a triśākhā doorway leads to the interior of the gudhamandapa. The doorway, which is better preserved in the southern shrine, is made up of ratnaśākhā, moulded stambhaśākha, and bähyaśākhā adorned with lotus leaves. The lower section of the Sākhās here also carries Nägendra with two female attendants. On the outer flank of the bāhyaśākha is a band of full-blown quadrangular lotus flowers. Below the lotus bands are seated figures of Sankhanidhi and Padmanidhi. The interior of the gūdhamandapa here also shows four square plain pillars. The garbhagrha in both the shrines is nothing but a rubble of stones.
The base of the Mānastambha consists of two diminishing circular courses, each decorated with lotus flowers. The shaft, now gone, is perhaps lying close to the portico of the southern shrine; it is polygonal in shape.
The Triple Shrine has an inscription of A.D. 1096- 97 mentioning the names of a Jaina Lady Kalikabbe and her son Kälisetti. The inscription is a donative one; the temple however may date to about A.D. 1090. KONNUR
Jaina Temple - Konnur, ancient Kondanúra, lies to the north of Belgaum town in Karnataka. In the Konnur village is a ruined Jaina temple (Pl. 99) of the times of the later Kadambas of Banavāsi and Hangal. The adhisthana and wall of the vimāna are still intact
there; the hall however has been thoroughly renovated.
The vimāna is tri-anga on plan comprising bhadra with two pairs of upabhadras, pratiratha and karņa, the first being the longest and the second the shortest. Between the angas are also made salilāntaras.
The adhisthāna, resembling that of the Candraprabha temple at Aihole, consists of jagati, padma (inverted cyma recta), antarita, tripatta kumuda, antarita, kapota having nasis adorned with creepers, and pratikantha decorated with figures of vyālas and makaras. The walls with slender pilasters have sham niches at the karmas and subhadras. The niches contain kūta-type Dravida-vimāna at the top and small standing Jina figures and seated figures of Sarvānubhūti at the bottom. The wall at the pratiratha shows a kutastambha topped by a mono-spired sikhara of the Nāgara style. The portions above the wall are all gone.
Stylistically, this temple is datable to the last quarter of the 10th century A.D. LAKKUNDI
Lakkundi, ancient Lokkigundi, is situated in the Dharwad district of Karnataka. It was an important town during the early period of the Cālukyas of Kalyāņa. This is well demonstrated by the construction of seven Saiva shrines, four Jaina temples and a large stepped water reservoir.
The temples of the age of the Cālukyas of Kalyāņa, prior to Lakkundi temples, are ordinarily built of various shades of locally available sandstone, but the building material employed in the construction of temples at Lakkundi and later temples at other sites is fine-grained soapstone which is easily tractable for delicate carving and smooth polish. Being soft in nature it also reduced the size of the masonry courses and increased the volume of the carvings.
of the four Jaina temples at Lakkundi the earliest one is termed "Brahma Jinālaya" in the inscription, an appellation given by the Brāhmaṇas of Lokkigundi town. The temple at present, however, is differentiated by calling it the Great Jaina Temple as it is the largest
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