Book Title: Jaina Rock Cut Caves In Western India Part 01
Author(s): Viraj Shah
Publisher: Agam Kala Prakashan

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Page 128
________________ 102 Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India a kapota, a frieze of animals and a façade. The mattavarana is beautifully carved with pilasters alternating with elephant heads and vyalas. In the centre of the mattavāraṇa is a beautiful sculpture of a mithuna couple flanked by small female figures and within a makara arch resting on the pilasters. Unlike other mithuna figures, the female ist domineering here. She stands in the front and has her left hand around the male, while the male stands submissively behind her. Below this, there are two more panels; the upper panel depicting a seated figure of Parsvanatha attended by devotees and the lower panel depicts a fighting scene. The kakṣasanas are carved with purṇaghatas alternating with a pair of pilasters. Outside, on the sides are figures of nidhis, sankhanidhi to right and Padmanidhi to left. The kapota has figures of flying vidyadhara couples. Above kapota is a frieze of animals. The façade is treated as a sikhara of a vimana. It is identical to that in J19, but is better preserved here. The verandah is 6m by 1.4m. It is similar to that of J19, but the pillars and pilasters are very ornate here. The bases of the pillars are not shown, while the bases of the pilasters jut out from the kaksäsanas. The parapet wall dividing the hall and the verandah is as in J19. But here the parapet wall is carved with the pilasters alternating with mithun couples. Flanking the entrance to the hall is a figure of a dvarapala. The pillars and pilasters on the parapet wall are similar to those on the kakṣasanas with some variations in designs. The hall is 6 sq.m. It is identical to J19 in almost all details with some variations in the mouldings in the fronts of the niches. Here the central deeper niches have elephant heads in the front as in J18. The pilaster in the back wall, on the right corner is cut through to a room, which leads to J21, the upper storey of the Jagganatha sabha. As J19, the shrine doorway has six sakhas of rupa, vidyadhara, valli, stambha and two plain sakhas. The rupa sakha is as in J19. The vidyadhara sakha has flying vidyadhara couples. The stambha śakha is also similar to that in J19. The inner two plain sakhas are painted instead of being carved. The pilasters support a kapōta with a nasi at each end. Above the kapota is the depiction of the auspicious dreams seen by the mother of the Jina at the time of conception. In the centre is a figure of seated Jina flanked by a chauri bearer. To his right, from the end is a circle, a bull in profile, lion, Gajalakshmi, while to Jina's left are two indistinct objects, two jars, two fishes or mina yugma, two circles and an unclear object. On the pedya of the rupa sakha are figures of kumbhavahinis, while on the vidyadhāra sākha are dvarapalas. The lintel is plain. In front of the shrine are two steps with a hastihasta and chandraśila. The door fittings are as in J19. The shrine is 2.8m by 1.6m with the main icon on the back wall. Sculptures The iconographic programme of this cave is similar to J19. Here instead of Ambika, Sarvanubhuti is in the verandah end and the corresponding figure of Ambika is in J20A.

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