________________
100
Jain Thought and Culture
mandapa doorway This is extremely significant. Cakresvari-andAmbika Yaksis and seated Jina figures occur in niches on the roofpediments of the niandapa in the north as well as in the south faces The built-in niches in the deep recesses flanking the bhadras of the sanctum facade invariably show representations of Dharanendra Yaksa and Padmavatı Yaksi
The Temple faces east and is a sandhara prasada consisting of an ardha-mandapa (entrance porch), mandapa, antarala and a sanctum with an ambulatory The sanctum is crowned by a lofty sıkhara of the curvilinear form, capped by an amalaka and a kalasa
EXTERIOR The exterior of the temple is exquisitely carved with figures and designs in relief The larger niches, crowned by elaborate udgamas or pediments of catya-arches, the smaller niches, surmounted by tall pediments decorated with a mesh of cartya-gavaksas and the projecting balconies which are also crown by a pediment of caitya-arches, form the most conspicuous ornamentation of the elevation Added to this are the interesting panels of figure reliefs, scrolls and other decorative designs occurring on the basement mould-ngs The basement shows the usual mouldings of khura, kumbha, kalasa, occasionally relieved with interesting faces (usually carved on two adjacent angles) and scrolls in relief, antara-patra, kapotalı carved with caitya-arches in relief, chadya moulding containing occasional niches with figure sculptures From the basement mouldings project six niches on the southern side and two on the front or eastern side Each niche is crowned by a pediment of cattyagavaksas, those occurring below the asanapatta of the balconies with the kaksasanas being more elaborate than others the balconies have the usual components, but are mainly decorative Their jalaka-windows admit extremely insufficient light and do not serve an effective functional purpose
The figures carved on the niches of the facades comprise Dikpalas and Jaina Yaksas and Yaksis, while the relief panels show human faces and scrolls Most of the decoration of the elevation consists of architectural motifs like the catya-gavaksa and miniature shrine and this is one of the rare temples where such motifs have been used with great decorative effect There are in, all, six projections on
