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Description and Chronology of Caves J12
This cave opposite J11 has a hall and a shrine (Fig. 18, Plate 25). The hall is enclosed in front by very low walls. A flight of three steps with hastihasta leads to the hall, which is entered through a stone door. This door measures 1.4m by 0.77m and has two plain śākhas. On inner side of the door are door fittings indicating that the front of the hall was probably enclosed by a wooden screen.
The low walls have a kapota, decorated with four semi-oval plates and two plain mouldings below. The facade of the cave is treated as a śikhāra of vimāna. It has a kapota decorated with a floral design in the centre and the sides and flying garland bearers between them. Above the kapota are a frieze of sporting animals and a figure of Gajalakshmi in the centre. Above the frieze is a sala śikhara with karņakūtas. 11 the ends of the sala śikhara are vimānapala vidyadhāras and a corpulent, seated figure of a yakşa, probably Sarvānubhuti, on the body. On the sikhara is a large pañjaranasi with a figure of a seated Jina in the gādha. Above the sikhara is a flying couple on each side of the simhaśikha. On the body portion of each karnakūta is a figure of a standing Jina. Beyond the sikhāra of both the kütas, at the corners is a flying couple. On the hāra between bhadrasala and karnakuta is a figure of Sarasvati on the right and Ambika on the left. The four-armed figure of Sarasvati is seated in padmāsana on a double lotus. Her right lower hand is in varada, while in the right upper hand is held a flower. In left upper hand is held a paśa, while the left lower hand is mutilated. Above her head is a töraņa arch. Over the arch are two peacocks facing each other.
The hall is around 3.2 sq.m. The right end of the ceiling near the entrance is broken through the next cave, J16. A flight of two steps with hastihasta leads to the shrine. The shrine doorway, measuring 1.45m by 0.8m has two plain sakhās.
The shrine is 2.07m by 1.85m. On the back wall is a figure of seated Jina. On each sidewall, there are three grooves, at the level of the throne of the Jina. Above the central groove is another groove. All these grooves correspond to the grooves on the opposite wall. Thus, these must have been cut for a purpose, perhaps to fix wooden rods in front of the icon, which could be used to hang garlands and such other objects
Sculptures
All the panels almost cover the entire height of the cave.
Icon No
Icon
Distinct Features
Size
Hall 1.88m by 0.98m 1.85m by 1.43m 1.93m by 1.23m
Sarvānubhūti Two seated Jinas Kamatha's attack on Parsvanatha
(Fig. 24a)
of
1.9m by 1.12m
Penance Bahubali
Four attackers, one of which is just a face with tongue held out and turban with a snake above (Fig. 24b) The figures of female vidyādharis are quite small compared to other panels. Above the female to the right is a seated figure of a male holding an
