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MONUMENTS & SCULPTURE A.D. 600 TO 1000
[PART IV
The Sikhara is of the panca-ratha type and is squat with a marked triangular appearance, clustered by eight minor sikharas. The roofs of other compartments are damaged, but from what has survived there is no doubt that these were pyramidal, consisting of horizontal tiers, alternating with recessed courses carved with diamond-pattern.
The base of the roof shows on the south façade a niche containing an image of eight-armed Cakreśvarl seated on Garuda. The goddess carries pāśa and vajra in the two surviving right hands, and vajra and cakra in the two surviving left hands and is flanked on each side by a female attendant. In the proper left niche occurs a seated Jina, while in the right niche occurs Yakşi Ambika seated in lalitasana and carrying a child. On the corresponding north side, the niches show Yaksi Cakreśvari flanked by female attendants. In the proper right niche appears a seated Jina, while in the left niche occurs Ambikā seated in lalitüsana.
The niches of the jangha are described below from the south-east in the pradaksiņā order.
Niche 1 on the south-east corner of the jangha shows an eight-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a lotus with a bird-mount having two heads. The surviving right hands of the goddess carry a gada-like object, lotus-flower and cauri, while the left hands carry cauri, flag and bow. She may be Yakşi Padmavati riding kukkutähi.
Niche 2 on the south face shows a four-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a lotus, carrying sword, cakra, shield and sankha. The elephant-mount is depicted below the the lotus-seat. She may represent Puruşadatta, the Yakşi of the fifth Jina.
The remaining six niches of the south façade (niches 3-8) are empty, but there were minor niches in the intervening recesses, flanking the projections of the sanctum. These invariably show representations of Yakşa Dharanendra and Yakşi Padmavati.
The adjoining lateral faces of the recess also show figures in miniature niches. The western niche shows an image of a goddess seated in lalitäsana on a crocodile, carrying varada, abhaya, blue lotus and water-vessel, while the niche on the eastern face shows an eight-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a lotus, carrying sword and chain in the two surviving right hands, and a bell, shield and net-like object in the three surviving left hands. A horse is depicted
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