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Appendix II
Date of construction of the Jain Kirtistambha at Chittor
The tradition of erecting Kirtistambhas was quite old. The Ghatiyala inscription1 of V.E. 918 (861 A.D.) speaks of two Jain pillars one at Mandor and other at Ghatiyala (Rohinskupa). It is the earliest reference of having Jain-stambhas built in Rajasthan.
The Jain Kirtistambha of Chittor is an important piece of Jain art. Col. Tod saw an inscription of V. E. 952 (895 A. D.) near the said pillar, containing the names of 24 Jineshvaras, Surya, Ganesa, Navadurga etc. But we can hardly connect it with the above Kirtistambha.
It seems that this Kirtistambha was erected in shape of Sarvatobhadra Manastambh in front of Chandra-Prabh-Chaityalaya (now known as Mahavir temple). This pillar is situated on an elevated platform. Its height from the ground is 76 feet. It is 30 feet wide at its base while 15 feet at the top. There are several seated figures of Tirthankaras. In the middle of the pillar, there are big standing figures of Tirthankar in Digambar pose in all its four sides.
Scholars have given different dates between the 11th to 13th centuries of its construction. Their arguments are mainly based on the architectural data. We want to exmine available epigraphical evidence, which will help thuch in determining the date of its construction.
1. Journal Royal Asiatic Society 1895 pp. 513-521. 2. Tod-Aonals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (Crook's edition) I p. 525.
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