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CHAPTER 143
NORTH INDIA cast face showing Mahavidyas Kall Mahamanasi and Varupa Yaksa, the north face having Yaksa Sarvanubhati, Adinátha and Ambik), and the west face presenting Makävidya Rohini, flanked by a goddess on either side.
The interior of the sanctum is plain but relieved by three large niches which are now vacant. The details of the doorway of the sanctum are concealed under the rocent layers of paint and glasswork.
The four pillars of the sala are essentially square and are decorated with ghata-pallava (foliage), ndgdpasa-design and bold kirtti-mukhas. The ceiling above the sala is one of the ndbhicchanda-order formed by simple gajatalus. There are in all ten deep-sunk niches in the walls of the gudha-mand apa, two of them containing figures of Kubera and Vayu. The bold caitya-arch crowning each niche of the gūdha-mandapa harbours figures of Jaina divinities. In the pradaksina order from north-east to the north-west, those divinities represent Rohini. Vairotyä, Mahämānasi and Nirvani. The large panel above architrave in each bhadra shows an image of Parsvanātha with attendants.
There are reasons to believe that a valanaka existed as an integral part of the original temple built by Vatsaraja during the eighth century and was renovated in 956 by the addition of a pillared hall."
The original Mahävira temple is a dainty piece of carly Rajasthan architecture providing a phansand-roof over the mand apa of great artistic merit and the oldest example of trika-mandapa, so characteristic of Jaina architecture. The main temple and its deva-kulikäs are a treasure-house of early Jaina art and iconography and the latter indeed constitute little gems of architecture.
SCULPTURES Loose sculptures of the period are numerous, but we have documentation of not many. Only the more important of them may be mentioned here, parti. cularly those which have found place in accessible collections.
Mathură continued to be a centre of Jaina art and architecture during the carly medieval times, as is attested by the find of several Jaina images here in post-Gupta style.
From the sixth to the twelfth centuries Matburt and the neighbouring region of Bharatpur, including Kaman and Bayana, were ruled by a feudatory
Tac foranna, valdgata and deve-kulkas, being tator addition, are dealt with in the chapter covering the period A.D. 1000 to 1300,-Editor.]
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