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NORTH INDIA
appears as the lalata-lumba. The doorway is flanked on either side by an artistic that taka, carved with kloakas below and exquisite udgamas above.
The sanctim-doorway (plate 73) resembles that of the gudha-mand apa and is curred with Vidya-dovis and Yakais riding their vahanas on the ripastambhas. Of these figures, Rohiol, Nirvani, Vajrankusi, Cakreśvari, Mabamions, Manasi, Vairotyd, Prajiapti and Mahajválæ can be recognized.
Dhaky, who has studied this temple in great details, considers it to be a notable example of the Modapáta (Mewar) school of the Maru-Gurjara style of architecture and rightly assigns it to the mid-tenth century on grounds of its stylistic similarities with the Ambika temple at Jagat. This dating is confirmed by the reported presence here of an image-pedestal, bearing an inscription dated 954, which is now missing.
TEMPLE GROUP, Osia Osia is a well-known site of early medieval art and architecture, having about a dozen temples of the early series dating from eighth-ninth centuries and about half a dozen temples of the later series dating from circa eleventh century.
The main Jaina temple at the site, the Mahavira temple (plate 74), belongs to the early series and was built, according to an inscription, in the reign of Pratīhāra Vatsarāja (last quarter of the eighth century). The temple faces north and consists on plan of a sanctum enclosed by ambulatory, antarala, güdha-mand apa with lateral transepts, trika-mandapa and a mukha-catuski approached by a flight of steps. At some distance in front of the entranceporch, was built a forapa which, according to an inscription, was added in 1016, but earlier to it, axially in front, was constructed a vålanaka (covered stopped entrance) in 956. Along either side as well as the back side of the sanctum runs a cloisterod corridor, while a pair of deva-kulikās was added on either side in the space between the mukha-mand apa and the torana
The sanctum is a square compartment of threo avigas, viz., bhadra, pratiratha and karna. In elevation, the pitha comprises a large bhitta, a wide antarampatra, followed by a kapota decorated with caitya-arches. Above the kapota occurs a vasanta-patrik embellished with vegetal scrolls marking the plinth-level. The püha supports the usual vedl-bandha-mouldings. The kumhbemoulding of the vedl-bandha is decorated with niches showing such divinities as
1 M.A. Dhaky in Shri Mahawira Jelna Vidyalaya Golden Jubilee Volume, Bombay, 1968, 1. p. 328-32
