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CHAPTER 221
CENTRAL INDIA
shrine attached to the back of the sanctum (plate 167), which is indeed a novel feature.
The temple is entered through a small but elaborately-carved mukhamand apa of one catuski and internally consists of a mand apa, antarala and garbha-grha, the whole enclosed within a rectangular hall. The wall of the ball is relieved internally by pilasters and externally by sculptural bands, besides latticed windows which admit diffused light into the interior. These windows are too inobtrusive to disturb the sculptural scheme of the external ornamentation. The façades (plate 168) have a series of shallow rathas (projections) punctuated by narrow saliläntaras (recesses). These projections and recesses carry three elegant bands of sculptures on the janghā. Those on the
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$_ 10 _5 METRES
32_ FEET FIG. XXII. Khajuraho : plan of the Săntinātha temple
lower row are the largest and show figures of gods, goddesses and apsarases on the projections and vyālas in the recesses. The figures on the two upper rows gradually diminish in size, those on the middle row displaying divine couples and those on the top row mainly Vidyadhara-mithunas on the projections as well as in the recesses. Despite these projections and recesses relieved by three sculptural bands of exquisite finish and grace, the templefaçade below the level of the fikhara produces the monotonous effect of a solid massive wall, and one misses here the effective architectural relief and shadows provided by the balconied windows and the deep indentations of the outer elevation which form such notobly characteristic features of the evolved Khajuraho style.
The temple stands on a 1.2-m. high jagati, the original mouldings of which are now lost. The vedi-bandha rests over a pair of bhitta-courses and
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