Encyclopaedia of Jaina Studies Vol 01 Jaina Art and Architecture

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

Page 91

Jaina Temple Architecture: North India
a Jaina by the influence of Acarya Hemacandra. Kumarapala was the greatest supporter of Svetambara Jainism in Gujarat and took all measures for its spread and development. His zeal for Jainism is clearly evident from his founding of the Ajitanatha temple at Taranga which is a grand royal erection. His ministers also patronised Jainism by erecting temples. Thus, Pṛthvipāla added mandapa to the Adinatha temple at Abu and Vägbhața replaced the old shrine of Adinatha at Śatrunjaya by a grand new one. The Jaina temple at Bhadreshwar and the Bavanadhvaja Jinalaya at Sarotra were also built at this time.
Kumarapala was succeeded by his son Ajayapala (c. A.D. 1172-1175) and the latter by his son Mularāja II (c. A.D. 1175-1178). Ajayapala was a bigoted Śaiva and hence no Jaina temple could be erected at this time.
Mūlaraja II was succeeded by his minor younger brother Bhima II (c. A.D. 1178-1241). Taking advantage of his teenage the vassal chiefs tried to become independent. At this predicament the Vaghelas came to the rescue of the throne and, with the assistance of the two brother ministers, Vastupala and Tejapala, ably maintained the kingdom left by Kumarapala. Bhima also protected the kingdom from the attacks of Hoysala Ballala II of Dorasamudra, Yadava Bhillama of Devagiri, Cahamāna Pṛthvīrāja III of Sakambhari, Paramāra Subhatavarman of Malwa, and Iltutmish. During the early part of Bhima's reign the political condition of the country was not conducive to building activity, but when peace and tranquility returned, active support was rendered to Jainism by erecting such magnificent temples as the Lunavasahi at Abu and the Vastupälavihāra at Girnar. The Sambhavanatha temple at Kumbharia was also built at this time.
Bhima II was succeeded by Tribhuvanapala who ruled for a very short term. After Tribhuvanapala the rein of power passed into the hands of the Vaghelas who ruled at Anahillapaṭaka till the end of the 13th century A.D. During the time of the Vaghelas the power and prestige of Aṇahillapataka gradually declined and,
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at last, in the time of Karna, it passed into the hands of the Muslims, but Jainism continued to enjoy the favour of the people. This is well reflected from two extant Jaina temples located at Kanthkot and Miani.
The Paramāras of Candravati - They were a branch of the Paramaras of Dhārā (Mālavā) and ruled from Candravati which lay at the foot of Mt. Abu in Rajasthan. The first king of this lineage was Sindhurāja, possibly the brother of Siyaka I of the main Malava line; he ruled as vassal of the Pratihāras in the latter half of the 9th century A.D. Sindhuraja was followed in succession by Utpalarāja, Araṇyarāja and Kṛṣṇarāja, the last one having ruled in A.D. 997. Kṛṣṇaraja was succeeded by Dharaṇīvaraha who suffered a defeat at the hands of Caulukya Mülaräja I of Aṇahillapataka between A.D. 987 and 995. Sometime before A.D. 1031 Dhandhuka, grandson of Dharaṇīvaraha, threw off the overlordship of Caulukya Bhima I and became independent, but he was suppressed to the tutelage position by Vimala, the founder of the Vimalavasahi at Abu. From that time till the end of the 13th century A.D. Abu remained a part of the Caulukya dominion.
Though the dominant religion in the area surrounding Candravati was Śaivism, the Śvetambara Jainism too was effective there. This is apparent not only from a number of Jaina texts written by Svetämbara friars but also by the foundation of Jaina temples at Candravati, Bhillamäla, Jabalipura and Satyapura. The extant Jaina temples at Ghanerav, Nandia, Nana, Pali, Mungthala and Jhadoli also are indicative of the same.
The Paramāras of Mālavā They are an important ruling class of central India. Their capital was Dhärä, modern Dhar in Madhya Pradesh. The first king of the dynasty was Upendra who started his political career as a vassal of the Raṣṭraküța king Govinda III in the 9th century A.D. The next four kings also avowed to the Rastrakutas. But the sixth ruler, Siyaka II (c. A.D. 945-972), became independent and ruled a kingdom extending from Jhalawar in the north to the Tapti in the south and Bhilsa in the east to the Sabarmati in