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JAIN JOURNAL
the ceilings of the verandas are beautifully decorated with relief sculptures. Besides the decorated facade, in the case of multi-cell caves, the interval portions between the doors are also decorated with relief sculptures. These relief sculptures are again divided into various independent panels to express the different meaning of different panels.
Unlike the rock-cut architecture of western India, the interior of these caves is adequately lighted. This is effected both by the direct opening of caves into the veranda and y the profusion of dooropenings; and also alongwith side windows in some examples.
Like the contemporary and preceding rock-cut architecture of other parts of India, here the artist also copied some of the technique and patterns of the existing structural houses, in the live rock. On this score some prominent features should be noted. In most of the examples the doorway jambs slightly incline inwards demonstrating a comparatively wide base of the doorway than the top, which in turn counter the outward thrust. Further, in some examples the ceilings are convex like. Besides all this, the pillars in the veranda are surmounted with architraves and brackets, which in turn support the roof of the veranda, which is lower in height than that of the roof of the cell. However, on the other hand, these caves also demonstrate a different line of development simultaneously. Unlike the western examples, which are directly copied from structural vihāras, the central hall of which was surrounded with cells on its three sides, is completely absent in the example of Udayagiri and Khandagiri. The cells here are directly open either to the outer air or into the veranda.
One of the most interesting features of this group of caves is noticed in the arrangement of the upper storey in case of the double-storeyed caves. Both in the case of the Ranigumpha and the Mancapuri cave the upper storey does not rest immediately on and above the lower one, but recedes a few feet back into the rock. This arrangement seems to have been adopted mainly to follow the configuration of the slope of the rock, and also to lessen the load on the ground floor which in turn suggest the poor quality of the rock. Thus it is hold that the artists here were forced to follow this method which was demanded by the nature of the rock.12 In such arrangements the open space left in front of the first floor was used as balcony, which was also provided with flight of steps.
11 Ganguly, M.M., Orissa and Her Remains, pp. 40-41.
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