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Mala Devi Temple at Gyaraspur
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the southern facade, three larger and three smaller, all being embellished with niches
The sikhara is of the pancaratha type but it has neither the elegant proportions nor the soaring character of the Khajuraho temples and is rather squat with a marked triangular appearance It is navandaka, i e, clustered by eight minor sikharas and is somewhat similar in design to the sikhara of the Sıva temple at Kerakot in Kutch It is marked by sıx bhumi-amalakas and is decorated with a mesh of cartya-gavaksas
The sukanasika is only partly preserved and has lost the crowning figures of the lion The pyramidal roofs of the antarala, mandapa and ardha-mandapa together with a large portion of the internal ceilings are also badly damaged But from what has survived there is no doubt that the roof of the mandapa consisted of pıdhas decorated with caitya-gauaksas, alternating with recessed courses, carved with ratna-patta South facade
This is the best preserved and gives an idea of the original design This had three balconies and each balcony had a niche on the basement The niches on the two eastern balconies are more elaborate with ornate pediments, while the niche on the balcony of the sanctum is rather shallow The buttresses flanking the balcony-projections have a vertical row of two niches, one on the jangha and the other on the basement at the same level with the niches below the balconies The pilasters of these niches are decorated with scrolls, kırttımukhas and vase-and-foliage designs Some of the pediments of the niches were surmounted by lions seated on haunche Balconies
In the balcony-projections the vedika-moulding shows two rows of miniature shrines alternating with a chess-design The asanapatta is decorated with crolls and is surmounted by a frieze of lotus petals The kaksasana has slabs of lotus scrolls alternating with three vertical shafts relieved with bead-design The lintel and the architrave of the balcony-projections are decorated with chesspattern The surmounting frieze which serves as chadya moulding is decorated with half-faces of kırttımukhas showing ears and in some cases, horns
