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Description and Chronology of Caves J19
The plan of this cave is similar to J18, though much smaller in size. It also has a verandah, a hall and a shrine (Fig. 28). On elevation it has kakşāsanas, pillars and pilasters on kakşāsanas, kapota, frieze of animals and facade. The mattavārana is absent. The kaksāsanas are left uncarved with an opening in the middle, though it carnot be used as an entrance because the cave is much higher than the ground level. The Kapota is damaged. It is carved with flying vidyadharas and floral designs. Above kapõta is a frieze of animals. The façade is very damaged. But the extant portion shows that it had a large sala sikhara flanked by two kūtas and two half-kutas. The sala śikhara has vimānapāla vidyādhāras at the bases and a panjaranāsi in the front with a figure of seated Jina in the gadha. On the body portion of the sala is a seated figure of a yakşi, probably Sarvānubhuti. Of the stupis of the sikhāra, four still remain. On the body portions of the kūtas are standing Jinas, while on the body of half kūta on the right is a figure of standing Parsvanatha and a standing figure on left. This figure is very damaged, but probably is of Bahubali. On the hārāntara between kūtas is Sarvānubhūti to the right and Ambikā to the
left.
The verandah is about 6.5m by 1.5m. The kaksāsanas have two dwarf pullars and corresponding pilasters with the bases jutting out from below. These are similar to the hall pillars in J10. On the front or the western face of each pillar is a large vala figure carved on the kumbha as a bracket figure. There are stone beams between the pillars and pilasters.
As in J18, the verandah is separated from the hall by a low parapet wall with an entrance in the middle, which has a chandrašila with hastihasta. The usual figures of mithuna couples on the wall are absent here. On this wall are two pillars and corresponding pilasters, similar to those on the kaksasanas. Between the pillars and pilasters on kaksāsanas and parapet wall are stone beams on ceiling, thus dividing the ceiling in three aisles. Of these, two are carved with lotuses, while the left aisle ceiling is plain.
The hall is 6.5m by 6m. In the middle are four pillars in a square with corresponding pilasters in back and sidewalls. The floor between the pillars is raised. Between the pillars run stone beams, both on the ceiling and the floor. Between the pillars on the back and the pilasters flanking the shrine doorway are stone beams on the ceiling and the floor.
On the side and the back wall are cut niches between the pilasters. These are carved with sculptures. As in J18, the central niche in each sidewall is cut deep. The central niche is 1.6m deep, while the other niches are about 0.9m deep. On the back wall of each central niche are two pilasters. These are plain square shafts with two-armed rounded brackets. The fronts of all the niches, except first niche on the right sidewall, are carved with the mouldings of jagati, karņikā, and kapota with alpanāsis. In some case alpanāsis are left uncarved as triangular plates. Except central niches, all niches have a decorative nāsi above the icons.
On the hall ceiling is carved a lotus within a square.
The shrine doorway is unfinished. It has six sakhās of rupa, a plain sakha, valli, stambha, two plain sakhās. The rupa sakhā is the broadest. It has six compartments on
