________________
Art and Architecture / 235
post-mortem columns to a demised person at a different place are not wanting. Kūge Brahmmadēva pillar was erected at Sravanabelagoa for the merit of Mārasimha who deceased at Bankāpura.
8.4.6.2. Malkhēd with its satellite places such as Sēdam, has many places of Jaina association within the radius of 50 km. Contribution of Malkhēd towards the development of Rāstrakūta's cultural heritage and historiography is quite rich and thought-provoking, though a sizable portion of it has been lost because of the ravages of time, man and nature. Puşpadanta, Epic poet of Apabhramśa literature, has narrated at length the total destruction of the city which was burnt and looted for several days.
8.4.7.3. A Jaina monastery and the temples at Maļkhēd were affiliated to Hombuja diocese. But, Małkhed was also the main head-quarters of the northern region, where as Hombuja was a main settlement in the southern division. It is believed that an underground cell from the palace to the Jaina shrine existed. Local elders explain that two Jina images made of Nila, the sapphire, of the Rāstrakūta age, found at Malkhēd and Bankūr, were taken away by a British officer in the early decades of 20th century, the where abouts of which are not known.
8.5. Harsūr (Gulbarga Dt) trikūta-basadi is one of the exceedingly graceful Jaina shrines. Though the present edifice is of the first phase of later Cālukya times, threesancta of Harasūr has preserved some matchless art treasure stylistically dating the period of Rāstrakūtas. The best and the earliest in the ensemblage are the sublime image of a Jina, now in the Museum of Gulbarga, and the two figures of two-armed yakşa-yakşi, reflecting dignity, charm and poise.
8.5.1. Adoring the dēvakõsthas in the gūdhamandapa are the figures of Jinaśāsana deities : 'The bronze - like,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org