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Art and Architecture / 229
C. E. 898, almost 84 years earlier to Gommața image of Śravanabelagola. Bāhubali image is definitely one of the priced, monuments of the Rāṣṭrakūṭa times. It had pañcaśākhā - door frame and was subsequently restructured in 11th century. "The Miśraka pillars that once were in the maṇḍapa show a plain cubial base, the shaft immediately above being decorated with a pattern consisting of elongted overlapping petals with frilled edges.... All in all, this seems to be a rather rare type of decorated pillar, among the most beautiful in Karṇātaka' [Dhaky : 223].
8.4.4.4. The ornate figural ceilings of authentic Rāṣṭrakūṭa specification in the Bōgara basadi and Pārsvanatha basadi of Paliyakka, look very chaste and dignified. Some of the earlier pillar forms of considerable beauty and effectiveness are still vibrant in these two shrines. The typically Raṣṭrakūṭa columns with equisite decorative details, inside Bōgāra basadi, though modelled after the Ellōra Jaina cave pillars, are moderately ornamented.
8.4.4.5. Pārśvanatha basadi, to the left in the Pañcakūta-vasati complex, facing south is a pretty doublestoreyed compostion, has all the distinctive traits of the Santara school of art. It is a living example for the adage, small is beautiful. This shrine with 7'.9" width southern of Vimāna, 14'.8" mandapa, and pãdabandha moulded base, largely agress with style of Bōgāra and Sule basadis, but differs in minor details. The four taranga - potikā pillars in the hall and the four stepped stairway - banister and a śukanasi to the front of the tower at the roof level are simple. The Aṣṭa-Dikpāla ceiling, eight guardians of the quarters in eight squares, and a founr armed yakṣa in the central quadrant, is excellent and decorative. The whole frame is embellished with a beading of miniature sculpture. A small but handsome Jina Pārśva image in the sanctum also belongs
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