Indian Culture and Jainism

Author(s): Kamalchand Sogani
Publisher: Jain Vidya Samsthan

Page 34

them one of the most important groups of caves in India72." The other caves are found at Jūnāgadha in Gujarāta (2nd Cent. B.C.), Rājagiri in Bihāra (1st Cent. A.D.) Udayagiri in Madhyapradeśa, (4th cent. A.D.), Candragiri at Śravanabelagolā in Mysore, (4th. Cent. B.C.), at Ellora and at Usmānābāda in Mahārastra (5th Cent. A.D.) and Sittanavāsala in Tamilnādu (3rd Cent. B.C.)73. "By far the most interesting cave-temples of the Jainas, from the artistic point of view, are, however, the Indrasabhā and Jagannātha-sabhā groups at Ellora. According to Percy Brown, "No other temple at Ellora is so complete in its arrangements or so finished in its workmanship as the upper storey of the Indrasabhā74."
It is of capital importance to note that since Jaina religion regards the construction of temples as an auspicious act, Jainas have constructed a large number of temples throughout India. The two temple complexes, known as the Delavādā temples at Mt. Abū and built in the 11th and 12th centuries A.D., by the minister of the kings of Gujarāta are regarded as the minor wonders of the world." Henry Cousens wrote, "The amount of beautiful ornamental detail spread over these temples in the minutely carved decoration of ceilings, pillars, doorways, panels and niches, is simply marvellous76,"
Again the Jaina temple at Rāņakapura in Mevāda (1440 A.D.) is the most complicated and extensive Jaina temple in India??." Fergusson remarks that "no two pillars in the whole building are exactly alike - the grace with which they are arranged, the tasteful admixture of domes of different heights with flat ceilings, and the mode in which the light is introduced, combine to produce an excellent effect78." The other temples of such superb character are the temples of : Pārsvanātha at Khajarāho in Bundelakhanda (11 cent. A.D.), the temple at Lakkundī in Karnāțaka (12th cent. A.D.), The Jinanāthapura temple near Śravanabelagola in Mysore (12th cent. A.D.) and Hosa Bastī at Mūdabidrī in South Kanara (14th cent. A.D.79).
Besides, the grouping together of temples into what may be called "Cities of temples" is a peculiarity which the Jainas have practised to a greater extent than the followers of any other religion in India80" "Such notable temple-cities are found, among other places, at Satruñjaya or Pālitānā and Giranāra in Gujarāta, at Sammeda Sikhara in Bihāra, at Sonāgiri in Bundelakhanda, at Muktāgiri in Mahārāstra, at Kunthalgiri
Indian Culture and Jainism