Jain Sanctuaries of the Fortress of Gwalior

Author(s): T V G Shastri
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore

Page 85

Niche (1): The image in this stands to a height of 2m. from head to foot, and across the shoulders, its width is 1 m.
It can be located towards the extreme right, on the western wall, in standing kayotsarga posture. The pedestal is insignificant.
The hands, the genital organ, the face suffered minor damage by the iconoclasts. The srivatsa mark on the chest is a projection shown vertically along its longer axis. Behind, the head, the lotus prabhavali is erased on one side.
Niche (2): The second Tirthankara is a small image yet forms the central image in the reliecfs. It is exavated in a small rectangular niche The image measures .60 x .45 m. It does not have any symbol as such, the identification of the Tirthankara as in the former, is difficult.
Niche (3) The third figure stands in kayotsarga. It measures 1 x .45 m. It is placed by the side of a memorial pillar manastambha. It has creepers entwining legs and hands indicating its representation as Bahubali, the son of the first Tirthankara Adinatha. The face is slightly disfigured.
Cave 20 It is located about 1 m. away west of the former. As in the former, it is excavated at a height of 10 m. above the common verandah. It is inaccessible but could be seen as a cave. It is divided into two compartments each of room space of 3 x 2 m. The second compartmenmt is fairly dark although it has a rectangular opening 1 x .45 m. at the top.
The first open compartment has a standing tritirthika panel showing Shantinatha, Neminatha and Chandraprabha. There are two more Tirthankaras on the walls towards north and south. A door-way 2.5 x 2 m. towards the northern wall takes the visitors to the second compartment, which contains another similar tritirthika panel as described earlier.
GROUP - 6
This group containing six caves from 21-26 is completely different. Caves 22 and 26 are shrines with wide openings from outside and caves 21 and 23 are executed, in inaccessible heights over the rock wall. In caves 22 and 26, nothing is practically seen from outside, except the insignificant entrances. But when we get into the cave especially in 26, we are thrilled, at the height of the image, as it projects over the western wall. Here, we also see images of different sizes (1) very big, (2) big. (3) medium sized, (4) small, (5) miniature images.
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