Book Title: Jain Temples of Rajasthan
Author(s): Sehdav Kumar
Publisher: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Art Abhinav Publications

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Page 100
________________ The padmašila, 'the central pendant of the lotus', consists of seven courses of thirty-two-foil kola each and a padmakesara, 'the stamenal tube inserted into the ceiling', clasped by two rows of petals and a band of dancers and musicians. The padmakeśara ends in a flower bud. Built on the principle of coradial regression, the padmaśilā is made up of one solid block and looks like a cluster of lotuses. The four corners formed at the base of the dome in the rangamaṇḍapa have some interesting sculptural pieces. The triangular space in the northwest corner is narrowed by two triangular courses. The lower course consists of a lotus decorated with stencilled lotus petals and crowned by a band of ardhapadma, 'half-lotus', pattern. The upper course is decorated with a row of campaka flowers. The corner in the southwest direction also consists of triangular courses, but here the upper course projects over the lower. The inner course of the lower course is adorned with lotus scrolls, while its underside depicts a row of campaka flowers. The inner face of the upper course is carved with gajatālu, while its underside is incised with foliate scrolls. In the northeast corner is an image of an eight-armed god with attendants. He carries a triśūla, a lotus and a fruit in the right hands, and a spear and a varadākṣa in the left hands; other arms are damaged. A boar and a lion are shown near the legs of the god. In the southeast corner is an image of yakṣa Brahmaśānti flanked on both sides by attendants carrying a pitcher, a flag and a garland. The six-armed god carries a lotus and a ladle in the upper pair of hands, abhayamudrā and vajra in the middle, and varadākṣa and pitcher in the lower ones. He wears a beard and has a swan as his vahana. Attached to the rangamandapa, and supported by a row of twelve pillars, are open porticos on three sides. These twelve pillars are of two types: square and octagonal. Of the two squaretype pillars, the base consists of bhiṭṭa, khura, kumbha decorated with udgama pattern, kalasa, antarapatra and kapota underlined with leaves. The shaft of the pillars is divided into four sections: square, octagonal, sixteen-sided and circular. Some parts of the shaft are plain, others are decorated with miniature sikharas, lotus petals, diamonds, and kirttimukhas. Of the ten octagonal-type pillars, the base consists of two bhiṭṭas, a khura, a kumbha decorated with half diamonds, a kalasa, an antarapatra, and a kapota adorned with caityaarch ornament. The shaft of this type of pillars is octagonal at the base, sixteen sided in the middle and circular at the top. 82

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