Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 83

Rock-cut Jaina Architecture
in low relief. The floor of the cave, which has a slope front. The shrine is 10 ft. square and 7 ft. high and of three inches from the back to the front, is four feet is entered through a doorway (5 12 ft. by 2 12 ft.) high from the ground and had no approach of stairway, approachable from the ardhamandapa by a stairway due of course to its being incomplete, but two stairs having vyāla banister. On the inner walls of the shrine are now built on two ends. The inner roof of the cave are carved three images in high relief, Mahavira is flat and uncarved. In the back wall are seven rectangular appearing on the west or back side, Adinatha on the niches between the columns. Each niche, now vacant, north and an Acārya or Arhat on the south. This is measures 5 12 ft. by 2 12 ft. and 1 ft. deep, is slightly apparent from the carving of triple umbrella over the projected into the ardhamandapa, and is carved three head of the Tirthankara images and a single parasol feet above the floor. According to K.R. Srinivasan (see, over the Arhat. The flat ceiling of the shrine is carved Cave Temples of the Pallavas), the cave primarily with a Dharmacakra. belonged to Saiva sect and was excavated in the closing The ardhamandapa measures 22 12 ft. by 7 1/2 ft. years of Mahendravarman I, but later it was occupied by 8 12 ft. and has two massive square pillars and two by the Jainas. But the presence of a Jina figure atop pilasters on the front. The columns are square below the cave and the complete absence of Saiva evidence and above and octagonal in the middle, have horizontally hardly leave any doubt for its being a Jaina cave. fluted roll-corbels, and bear adornment of lotus PECCIPARAI
medallions on the square faces of their shaft. Across Pecciparai is situated near Kadayanallur village in the columns are plain beams with flexed cornice. The Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It has a Jaina cave lateral walls of the ardhamandapa have sculptured niches. on the higher slope of the hill, consisting of two The niche on south contains a figure of Pārsvanātha unfinished shrines facing each other across the two ends with a five-hooded cobra canopy and that on the north of a common hall. The shrines have doorframe and has a figure of Jaina teacher seated in dhyānamudra well-formed cornices. Inside the shrines are some with an umbrella over the head. That the figure on north incomplete figures, but the carving of cobrahood (for is of a Jaina teacher is clearly evident from an inscription Pärsvanātha) definitely shows the Jaina affiliation of the on a nearby pillar mentioning him as tiruväsiriyan, i.e. cave. The back wall of the hall has been left plain, the venerable teacher. The entire surface of the walls, probably for a niche-figure. The facade of the cave has ceiling, pillars etc. are richly painted in the tradition a cornice carved with nail-heads.
of wall paintings of Ajanta. Unfortunately, they are SITTANNAVASAL
badly damaged, but what remains shows the grandeur The Arivar Kovil cave-temple at Sittannavasal in of Jaina paintings in the whole of South India. The the Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu is excavated notable among these are the Samavasaraṇa scene, the on the eastern face of the rock. There also is a natural Puskara-lake with lotus, geese, fish etc., the royal couple cavern with beds and an old Tamil-Barāhmi inscription and some figures of dancers (for details see Chapter Sittannavasal is especially famous for its wall paintings on Paintings of this Volume). some of which are still preserved in the cave. These The mukhamandapa is an open pillared hall added are the earliest known remains of Jaina paintings in India. to preserve the main cave during the reign of the Pandya
The cave at Sittannavasal consists of a square king Avanipasekhara Sri Vallabha (c. A.D. 815-862). shrine at the back, a transverse rectangular ardhamandapa The main cave, however, was excavated in the grh in the middle and a structural mukhamandapa in the century A.D.
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