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Jaina Art and Architecture at Mathurā
Jaina stupa of Mathurā, 'which structurally did not differ from those of Sanchi and Bharhut',609 were constructed in the first century BC.
The representation of a stūpa occurs on many Jaina architectural and sculptural antiquities discovered at Mathurā. These antiquities form part of the collection of State Museum, Lucknow,610 Government Museum, Mathurā611 and National Museum.612 Chronologically, the earliest representation of a stūpa occurs on the obverse of the bottom architrave of the gateway of a stūpa.613 On stylistic consideration of the figures represented on the architrave, the latter cannot be regarded later than the first century BC.614 The stūpa depicted on the aforesaid architectural object is somewhat bell-shaped.615 The two terraces of the circular drum of this stūpa have three-barred railings around them.616 The hemispherical dome is crowned by a square three-barred railing; a conspicuous chatra rises from the centre of this railing: 617 A fourth railing enclosing the processional path is provided at the ground level.618 Probably, this stūpa did not have a stone gateway originally.619 It appears that this depiction represents the shape of the devanirmita stūpa built at Kankāli Tilā620 in the third century BC or the second century BC.
The silā-patta donated by courtesan Vāsu bears a relief which depicts a developed form of stūpa-architecture.621 The inscription on this silā-patta is
609. ASIAR, 1906-7, p. 147. 610. SML nos. J.535; J.255; J.623; J.250; J.283; JAA, I, pp. 54-7. 611. MM no. Q.2; JAA, I, Plate 1. 612. JAA, I, Plates 12 and 13. 613. SML no. J.535; JAA, I, Plate 2A. 614. JAA, I, p. 54. 615. Ibid., Plate 2 A; ibid., p. 54. 616. Ibid., ibid. 617. Ibid.; ibid., pp. 54-5. 618. Ibid.; ibid., p. 55. 619. Ibid.; ibid., p. 55. 620. Ibid., p. 55; V.S. Agrawala, Bhāratīya Kalä, op. cit., p. 226. 621. MM no. Q. 2; JAA, I, Plate 1.
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