Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 428

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Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies
Gandharavas and heavenly nymphs, a deva standing amidst flowers, and a row of nuns clad in white cloth. It is the scene of Laksmīśvara mandapa with its 12 kostas, geometrical patterns, inter-twinning creepers, lotuses, rows of geese, lotus ponds and kirttimukhas. Scenes from the life of Agnitā and Varadatta are also depicted. The paintings are on black coloured ground, while different ochres, terraverte and gray earths fill the outline of the figures. The chief interest of these wall paintings, from the point of view of history of Jaina miniature, lies in the angular treatment of the nose and chin and the protrusion of the farther eye into space.
The Colas were tolerant kings and served all the faiths alike. The famous imperial architect of Rājarājeśvara temple was a great patron of Jainism as well as Buddhism. His sister Kundavi was responsible for building and endowing some Jaina temples. The Jaina paintings of Tirumalai and Tiruparuttikunram are interesting. The group of kalpaväsidevas in Laksmīśvara- mandapa (Tirumalai) painted on the brick walls of the outer most chamber on the ground floor composing the earliest painted layer are pleasing figures with large open eyes. TIRUPARUTTIKUNRAM
The Vijayanagar rulers fostered Jainism as well as other faiths. The art of painting was encouraged during this time and there are innumerable temples all over south India with paintings representing this period. The Jaina paintings have a great place under Vijayanagar rulers, particularly at Tirupparuttikunnam, in close proximity of Kāñcīpuram, noteworthy for its Jaina temples.
The Jainas settled in Kāñcipuram from ancient times and the locality Tiruparuttikunram, situated on the right bank of river Vegavati where the Jainas lived, is popularly known as Jina-Kāñci at present. Besides Tiruparuttikunsam the Jaina vestiges are found at Arapakkam, Nagaral, Aryaperunibākkam etc. The Jaina temples at Tiruparuttikunram is of great interest, both architecturally and on account of its paintings illustrating
the lives of some of the Tirthankaras. The Jainism received support from different dynasties in Kancipuram.
There are two oldest Jaina temples at Kancipuram - one is a small shrine dedicated to Candraprabha, the eighth Jina, and another, which is a later and larger one, dedicated to Vardhamana or Mahāvīra locally known as Trailokyanātha. The Vardhamāna temple is embellished with paintings. According to local tradition they owe their existence to a Pallava king who built them at the instance of two Jaina teachers, who lived in the village. A whole series of paintings decorate the ceilings of the large gopuras and walls of the temple here. Some of these paintings belong to an earlier phase preceding the later ones by a couple of centuries. The mandapa built by Irugappa, minister of Bukkārāya II and a devoted follower of Jaina faith, has paintings belonging to the end of the 14th century. The scenes are chosen from the life of Vardhamāna.
According to custom prevailing among the Jainas the ceilings of the mukhamandapa and the sangitamandapa of the Vardhamāna temple bear a series of coloured paintings which illustrate the life stories of three Jinas. However, most of the paintings at Tiruparuttikunram are faded and disappeared.
The paintings are arranged in conventional convenient groups, two running from north to south and two from east to west on the ceiling of the sangītamandapa, and one group running from north to south on the ceiling of the mukhamandapa. They are arranged in rows of panels, one after another, with a narrow band between two rows for labels to explain the incidents. These rows, which contain the life stories of Rsabhanātha and Neminātha along with his cousin Krsna, have the explanatory labels filled in below. The remaining rows illustrate the life of Mahāvīra. The scenes containing the life stories of Rşabhanātha and Mahavira run from north to south while that of Neminātha's and Krsna's from east to west.
The stories from the life of Rşabhanātha or Trailokyanātha are related with his previous births. The
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