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

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Page 132
________________ 106 Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India 9. Couples: There are two panels on the stone beam between front pillars. Of these, one is destroyed. The intact frame depicts three couples in close embrace and flying. Unlike J19, here their heads face the façade. Paintings on the other stone beams of hall ceiling though intact are too dark to make out anything. Verandah The central aisle of verandah ceiling has a large panel with a border on two sides. It is very faded 10. Figures: On the stone beam between left pillars is a square without any border. It has a male flanked by females. The male stands in chatura. He seems to be playing musical instrument. The heads of all the figures are towards the right sidewall of the verandah. 11. Figures: The stone beam between right pillars also has a square without any border as on the opposite stone beam. Here also a male is flanked by females. While the male is in dancing posture, the female behind him carries a patra with offerings in one hand and the other hand is raised up. Cave XXXIII or JAGGANATHA SABHĀ (J21-J25) Like Indra Sabha, this cave, called Jagganatha Sabha, is also a cluster of few independent caves excavated on the three sides of the rock face. J21 This cave at the upper level can either be reached by a staircase in the eastern face of the rock or approached from J20. The staircase leads to the door, which opens in the left end of the hall of J21. This door on the stairway side has two plain sakhas on the right and a stambha sak hā on the left with a mandaraka flanked by kirtimukhas. The door to the side of the cave is plain with two steps and a chandrašila. The door fittings are in the form of a round groove, one on each side on the ceiling and a corresponding groove in a square projection on the floor. As mentioned earlier, the back wall of J20 on the right is cut through a room, which leads to J21. This room is about 4.4m by 3m and is plain. This also leads to the left end of the hall of J21, near the entrance through stairs. The door is plain and has two steps with a hastihasta and a chandrašila. The door fittings are as described above. There is a groove on each sidewall of the door also. This cave is different from the other large caves in terms of the ground plan and also in iconographic programme (Fig. 34). On the ground plan, it has a hall and a shrine. The verandah is absent. On elevation, it has a mattavarana, kaksäsanas, two dwarf pillars and pilasters on kaksāsanas and a kapota. The mattavāraṇa is carved with mithuna couples. The kakṣāsana is carved with pūrņaghatas alternating with a pair of pilasters topped by a band of creepers. Unlike other caves where elephant heads are carved only on the mattavārana, here these are quite large and thus cover both, the mattavārana and the kaksāsanas. Outside the cave, on left side is an unfinished, large figure of a dvārapala

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