Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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If one enters the temple from the western side and looks upwards in the bal na mandapa (the portal hall), one sees the kicaka - a figure having one head and five bodies. This represents the five elements of which the material world is composed.
The portraits of the founder and of the architect are carved on the pillars of the western meghan da mandapa (three storyed hall No. 4 in the plan). These portraits are almost inconspicuous; in the midst of the embellishment, together with figures of female musicians an
paying him eternal obeisance.
In the meghan da mandapa on the northern side, there is a large marble elephant dating back to 1687. On the back of the elephant is mounted the mahout and besides him Marudevi, mother of
din tha. She is said to have come to hear the sermon of her son. Legend has it that on catching sight of him, while still some distance away, she achieved moksa. She would thus be the first person to have escaped the cycle of birth in this current epoch of decline and end.
In the meghan da mandapa on the southern side, there are magnificent carvings on the ceiling. There is a motif of n gadamana, a intertwined n ginis (female serpents).
In the bal na mandapa on the southern side, there are two reliefs measuring approximately a meter each. The reliefs face each other and apparently complement each other.
The Jambudvipa, the circular continent of the middle world in the centers of which stands the world mountain Meru, is represented on the eastern side. It is surrounded by mountains on which are located the abodes of the gods, and stylized forests. The entrances represented on the four sides are of special importance.
Facing this is the relief of the Nandiswara dvipa, the eight island continent. In this case too, four groups, consisting of thirteen mountains each, with temples atop them, surround the centre and form the figure fifty-two, which the Jainas regard as holy.
On the southern side of the temple there is a splendid relief of Prva, the twenty-third ford maker. He is seen standing flanked by two Jainas and two female serpents carrying fans. His head is protected by a one thousand-headed serpent hood. The whole scene is framed by serpent gods and goddesses with human bodies, their serpent tails knotted together. The two fan carrying serpents are also joined together.
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