Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 87

Jaina Temple Architecture : North India
are built of various shades of locally available sandstone Nagabhata was succeeded by his son Rämabhadra or marble or schist and bear testimony of repairs and and the latter by his son Bhoja (c. A.D. 836-892). After alterations, particularly those in the private possession. consolidating his position at home, which has been Compared to those of the South, the temples of North disturbed during the short reign of Ramabhadra, Bhoja India have suffered more in the hands of the Muslim measured his strength with the Pala king Devapäla of iconoclasts, but enough remains to show the rich heritage Bengal, Rāstrakūta Dhruva of the Lata branch and of the Jainas,
Kalacuri Kokkalla of Dāhala, but sustained defeats at Historical Background
the hands of each. Later, however, he defeated the Pala The Gurjara Pratihāras of Kanyakubja (c.A.D. king Nārāyanapāla and Rāştrakūta Krsna II, brought 730-1000) - The Pratīhāras were an important power Gujarat and Saurashtra under the sphere of his influence, of North India after the Imperial Guptas. They founded and annexed east Punjab. Thus he became a paramount a kingdom near Jodhpur in Rajasthan in about the mid- ruler of North India and stood as a bulwark against sixth century A.D. Haricandra, the founder of the dynasty, the Muslim aggression. Bhoja himself was a devotee was a Brahmana, well-versed in the Sāstras. The of Bhagavatī, but Jainism flourished well in his kingdom. Pratīhāras came into prominence when Nāgabhata I This is evident from two Jaina temples at Phithaora and (c. A.D. 730-756) defeated the Arabs of Sindh. The Rajorgadh built about this time. next important ruler was Vatsarāja (c. A.D. 772-794) Bhoja was succeeded by his son Mahendrapala as he defeated the lord of Gauda (probably Dharmapäla) (c. A.D. 892-908) who extended his empire in the east and made Indrāyudha of Kannauj accept his vassalage, by annexing Magadh and North Bengal. After but he was badly routed and forced to retreat into the Mahendrapāla there was perhaps a war for succession desert of Rajasthan by the Rästrakūta king Dhruva of between Bhoja II and Mahīpāla, the sons of Mānyakheta. When Dhruva returned to the Deccan, Mahendrapala, and Mahīpāla (c. A.D. 912-930) Dharmapāla took advantage of the situation and installed ultimately succeeded in occupying the throne. The poet Cakräyudha in place of Indräyudha on the throne of Rājasekhara, who graced the courts of both Mahendrapala Kannauj. Vatsarāja prominently figures in the Jaina and Mahipāla, credits the latter with the conquest of literature. His name also occurs in an inscription found "Muralas, Mekalas, Kalingas, Keralas, Kulūtas, Kuntalas in the Mahāvīra temple at Osian built at this time. The and Ramathas", covering almost the whole of India. Mälādevi temple at Gyaraspur and the Mahāvīra temple This obviously is a poetic stunt, but there is no doubt at Varman were also built about this time.
that he retained the vast North Indian empire he inherited. Vatsarāja was succeeded by his son Nägabhata II The Pratihāra rulers after Mahīpala were too weak to (c. A.D. 794-833) who retrieved the situation by routing withstand the mounting pressure of the Rāstrakūtas, the both Dharmapāla and Cakräyudha and shifted his capital Candellas and the Muslims and, at last, in the first to Kanyakubja (Kannauj district, U.P.). But his imperial quarter of the 11th century A.D. the Pratihāra empire ambition was curved by Rästrakūta Govinda III. vanished. Jainism continued to flourish during this period Nāgāvaloka (Nāgabhata II), according to the Jaina texts, as is evident from a Jaina temple at Banpur and another became a Jaina, went on pilgrimage to holy Jaina sites at Rajorgadh. A doorway added to Temple No. 12 at and built temples to the Jinas. This shows high position Deogadh, dated in A.D. 994, was also built at this time. of Jainism in the kingdom. That Jainism was well The Kacchapaghātas of Dubkund - There are received in the State is also substantiated by two extant three branches of the Kacchapaghātas ruling from Jaina temples (Nos. 12 and 15) at Deogadh.
Gwalior, Dubkund and Narwar respectively. The first
Jain Education Intemational