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Vimala Vasahi ]
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A. D.) the Muslim invader1 destroyed both the temples at Delvāḍā (Vimala Vasahi and the Luna Vasahi built by Tejahpāla, described in the following pages), and the demolition must have been so extensive and thorough that almost all the sanctums, the gūḍhamaṇḍapas, all images of the Tirthankaras, most of the portraits in the Hastishālas were broken to pieces or badly mutilated and even the outer carvings of the main sanctums and their front halls did not escape destruction. It is for this reason, that the interiors of the sanctums and the gūḍhamaṇḍapas rebuilt in later repairs, have no ornamentation, and have quite plain interiors. 2
1
Ala-ud-din Khilji invaded the Jalor fort (North West of Ābu, in Marwar) in V.S. 1368 and captured it. While returning from this conquest he might have attacked Abu and destroyed these shrines. For a description of the invasion, see Kahnaḍade Prabandha (old Gujarati, ed. by Śri D. P. Derasari) and Hammiramardamardana-Kāvya (Sk. published in G. O. Series No. X).
2 But an earlier destruction of Vimala-Vasahi before V. S. 1206 (A D. 1149) is suggested by an inscription on the wall of Cell No. 14, Vimala-Vasahi (Ābu, Vol. II, No. 72) which clearly says that Pṛthvipāla, did the Tirthoddhara (i.e. repaired the shrine) in V.S. 1206. It is not certain whether the shrine needed repairs due to faulty construction or because it suffered spoilation at the hands of fanatic invader. The latter probability cannot be wholly ruled out even in the reign of Bhima I, but more probable is some trouble in the reign of Karna or Siddharāja. Even Barbaraka whom Siddharāja ṣubdued is said to have demolished some images and shrines. The Vimálavasahi-Prabandha in the Puratana-Prabandha-Samgraha, p. 52 says that Chāhila, the son of Vimala, built the Rangamaṇḍapa of this shrine which would suggest that the shrine was not completed according to plan due to some emergency; but we do not know whether Vimala ever had a son. The problem needs further investigation-Translator.
