Jain Journal 1984 04

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 48

APRIL, 1984
but he saw only two temples standing when he visited the place in 1864-5.61 The present author found only one temple standing when he surveyed the area in April, 1973.
So far as the basic structure is concerned the Charra temple is similar to its counterpart at Tuisama, but otherwise, there are clear signs of marked improvement in it. The temple of Charra is much slender in form and the curvilinear of the vimāna is gradual. The beki is slightly higher and the amalaka-wheel is testifully moulded which matched with the total form of the structure.
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The central paga of the gandi in the front side is built of plain stone broad and projected at the base and gradually becomes narrow as it rises towards the sikhara. Though this portion of the gandi is not oddly thick as the Tuisama temple, this particular feature of these temples is unartistic and ugly and mars the beauty of the otherwise pretty temple of Charra. Unlike the Tuisama temple, the baranda portion of Charra temple is less projected and the recess or kanți between two khura-shaped mouldings has been reduced. As regards the wall decoration, the Charra temple has like the Tuisama temple, mouldings of khuras and of bhūmiamlās on the anupages and konāpagas. While the anupagas have only khura-shaped mouldings, the konāpagas had bhūmi-āmlās between a set of two khurās. Besides, there are caitya-motifs on the central pagas of the three side walls and smaller carvings of the same motif can be seen on the anupagas and konāpagas. The shallow and sketchy carvings of the caitya-motifs on the central paga in the front side appear to be incomplete in comparison to the fully developed and ornamented caitya-motifs in other sides. The most remarkable aspect of this temple is the use of lime mortar on the beki over which delicate carvings are noticed. W. W. Hunter in his Statistical Account of Bengal observes that the stones are without cement, while Sri Anantaprasad Sastri informs us that there is a thin layer of cement between the stone masonry.3 Though, apparently, the temple is of dry masonry, the use of mortar in the beki confirms the observation of Sri Sastri that mortar was used in the masonry work.
Though the walls of the gaṇḍi have five divisions, the baḍa is triratha with its surfaces entirely plain. The pābhāga has three mouldings of khură, inverted khura and khura respectively. The garbhagṛha is 4'
1 JASB, Part I, No. III, 1866, p. 187. (Notes on a Tour in Manbhoom, Col. E. T. Dalton).
* Vol. XVII, 1877, pp. 298-304.
* JBORS, Vol 5, Pt I, 1919, pp. 283-287.