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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
upabhadras and the subhadra is like a devakulikā (shrinecell) formed of storeyed pavilion with kūta top. The interior with four lathe-turned carved pillars (Pl. 116) at the nave resembles the Akkana-basadi at ravanabelagola. Stylistically, the temple is datable to c. A.D. 1200.
BELGAUM
Belgaum or Belagavi, a district town in the northeastern quarter of Karnataka, was the capital city of the Rattas of Kuhandimandala. The Rattas, like the Gangas and Śantaras, were staunch Jaina and patronised Yapaniya sect of Jainism. In the town is an old fort with a Jaina temple, called "Ratta Jinalaya in the inscription," founded in A.D. 1204 by minister Bicana.
Jaina Temple - This north-facing temple (Fig. 121; Pl. 117) consists of a square sanctum, an antarāla, a gūḍhamandapa and a rangamandapa, each covered by a pyramidal roof. The sanctum as well as the gudhamandapa is dvi-anga on plan with the bhadra having only slight projection. The exterior of both the compartments shows a series of plain mouldings in the adhisthāna and wall, and their pyramidal roof consists of receding tiers of kapota. The tiers of the rangamandapa are made taller by placing ratnapaṭṭikā in the recesses between them; this is a rare feature in the buildings of Karnataka. The gudhamandapa is entered from the rangamaṇḍapa by a highly ornamental saptaśākhā doorframe representing ratna, vallī, bifacial vyala, stambha, bifacial Kinnarī, vyāla and Vidyadhari. In the nave of the gudhamandapa are four richly carved square pillars of the citrakhanda class. The doorframe of the antarala consists of a śākhā incised with ratna-and-bead and a simple stambhaśākhā and is flanked on the outer side by a screen wall adorned with rosettes and cut up with stepped diamonds; its lintel shows a fine makaratorana with a dancing figure of Indra in the centre. The sanctum doorframe consists of four jambs of ratna, valli, stambha and vyala, each having minute carvings. The well-wrought lion-throne of the Jina is intact but the enshrined image is missing.
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The gudhamandapa is slightly rectangular on plan, the additional space on each side of the entrance door being occupied by a small chamber opening into the hall. The rangamaṇḍapa is also rectangular on plan and has a pair of free-standing pillars towards the güdhamandapa doorway. The rangamandapa, according to Cousens, is a later addition and the two pillars at the rear were the constituent part of an entrance porch of the gudhamanṇḍapa (The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts, Calcutta, 1897, p. 121).
Dvi-anga on plan the rangamandapa is entered from the front and lateral sides through a porch accommodated in the bhadra bay. Its adhisthāna is composed of two jagatis, a padma, and a kapota. The parapet wall above it, which has survived in the northwest corner only, is composed of a rajasenaka depicting diamonds in panels, an asanapaṭṭa, and a kakṣāsana bearing figure sculptures between paired pilasters. Besides two free-standing pillars at the rear, there are fourteen pillars on the periphery joined by the parapet wall. The peripheral pillars are all lathe-turned and highly polished. Six of these together with two rear pillars form an octagon and support a large, carved domical ceiling on an octagonal frame of architraves spanned across them. The dome consists of seven diminishing circular courses and has a large, impressive, circular pendant hanging down in the centre. The first course is rūpakantha showing figures of seated Jinas in projecting niches and of standing Jinas in alternate recesses. The second is karṇadardarikā. The third is a gajatālu. The fourth consists of twenty-four-foil kola. From this course also project out eight makara-brackets that once supported strut-figures inserted into the uppermost course. The fifth, sixth and seventh consist each of thirty-two-foil kola arranged in diminutive order. The pendant is made up of four oversailing courses of pointed kola and a short staminal tube. The corbel of each pillar supports a beautiful framed figure of sitting goddess. The domical type of ceiling is rarely found in Karnataka; probably the Karnataka artists derived
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