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Art and Architecture / 225
Rāstrakūta house and also in their feudatory families, particularly in the Gangas. Therefore, the Rāstrakūtas preferred to establish greatest and remarkable monuments at Elāpura, the place from where Govinda, their progenitor heralded their dynasty.
8.4.3. A group of Jaina rock-cut caves and sanctuaries in the northern horn of the Ellārā ridge olim Cāraṇādri (hill of levitation saints') are the superb treasure trove of the Rāstrakūta art. Chõţa Kailāsa (flittle Kailāsa) a quarter the size of the great Kailasa, a befitting nomenclature, chiselled to perfection from a rock-mass, in a 130x80 ft. pit cut, into west-facing tritala structure is a feast for eye. Beautiful figures of Jina, Yakşa, yaksi, highly decorated pillars et cetera adorn the abode of worship, dedicated to Rşabha, the first Tirthankara. It many be recalled that Rşabha attained final nirvāṇa on Kailāsa.
8.4.3.1. 'One other monolithic shrine at Ēllorā is the sarvatõbhadra (Caturmukha; Samavasaraņa) shrine in the court of cave no. 32 (the group of Jaina caves that includes the so called Indrasabhā cave). The Sarvatõbhadra shrine faces the gõpura, but with its stairway applied on the northern side. The adhisthāna has tall jagati, padma, tripatta kumuda, kantha with floral diamonds, and kapota with nāsis. The shrine's bhitti has openings in the four directions, with a short pillared prāggriva in front of each... In the shrine interior is a samavasaraṇa bearing four images of the Jina, with short antechambers disposed in the four directions; the southern one has a beautiful padma on its ceiling' (Soundara Rajan, K. V.: EITA : 127-28].
8.4.3.2. Indrasabha, stylistically appears to be slightly posterior to the Chotā Kailāsa. Monolithic column in the courtyard of Indrasabhā cave, is the oldest Mānastambha of the Rāstrakūta period, of the Kumbha-mandi-kalaśa type, with a ribbed lasuna, vas shaped pillar-part at the upper
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