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MONUMENTS & SCULPTURE A.D. 1000 TO 1300
(PART V
kalasa. The mouldings surmounting the top row are treated like pillarcapital (bharani), comprising amalaka and ribbed padma. Above this occur two rows of kapota-mouldings, of which the upper one is separated from the Sikhara by a prominent recess.
The śikhara of this temple is sapta-ratha. It is of sixteen bhūmis indicated by bhumi-amalakas, each amalaka being capped by a kapota. The karna-rathas carry a vertical strip all along consisting of caitya-arches containing a diamond in the lower niche. All the rathas originally projected beyond the shoulder-course, while the central ratha and the flanking rathas terminate in a kirttimukha and half-kirttimukhas respectively, the karna-rathas are crowned by a miniature pyramidal Sikhara showing a pair of pidhäs, candrikās and āmalaka. The shoulder-course is surmounted by a large ribbed āmalaka, a pair of candrikās, smaller amalaka, candrika and kalasa. The floral termination above the kalasa has been added in recent years.
The roof of the antarāla shows a superposed series of three niches crowned by a pediment (udgama). Above this cises the gabled roof (salaśikhara) in three gradual tiers, the top of each tier being decorated with lotus-petals and the sides with ratna-patta. Seen from the front we have prominent row of seven niches, the central one containing the figure of a standing Yakși and the flanking ones of attendant gods and goddesses. The niches carry an ascending row of three pediments of which the top one is the broadest and rises over the complete row of niches. Its base is flanked on each side by a miniature pyramidal śikhara of four pidhäs, candrika and āmalaka carried over a niche showing diamonds. The top pediment consists of three rows of caitya-arches. The two lower rows, of which only the northern half has survived, shows only half-arches, each carrying a makarahcad in the loops of the arches. These also show two pillasters in the centre. Above the third row of half-arches occurs a full arch containing a kirttimukha, from the mouth of which are suspended three chains, the central one with a bell flanked by a lotus-bud on each side and the end ones going up to the mouth of the makaras seen in the upper row of half-arches. The full arch at the top is also flanked by a rearing vyāla on each side and carries a square finial over which occurs the lion-figure pouncing on the elephant marking the termination of the sukanāsikā. The lion-figure tests on a slab which surmounts the finial. The half-arches are also flanked by a pyramidal sikhara-top comprising ribbed candrikā, āmalaka and candrika.
The doorway of the sanctum is of seven säkhās. The first sakhā is decorated with patra-latā (scrolls) and is flanked by mandāra-frieze trailing
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