________________
Description and Chronology of Caves
117
J23
This cave is similar to the other small caves of the site. It has a hall and a shrine on the ground plan (Fig. 37). As in J12, the hall in enclosed in the front by a very low parapet wall in the centre of which is a stone doorway (Plate 27). The upper side of the wall has a cutting, which is also present on the sidewalls. Thus, a screen must have been fixed. The stone doorway is 1.37m by 0.71m and can be approached by two steps with hastihasta. It has two plain śākhas. The door fittings are in the form of a groove on each side, both on the ceiling and the floor.
The hall is 3.2m by 2.75m. The shrine doorway has a plain sakha and two steps with a hastihasta and a chandrašila. The door fittings are in the form of a groove on each side of the door ceiling and a groove in a projected portion of rock on the floor, one on each side.
The shrine is 1.85 by 1.4m with the main icon on the back wall.
Sculptures
The sidewalls of the shrine also have icons of Jinas as in J19.
Icon
Icon
Icon size
Distinct Features
No.
Seated Jina
1.52m by 0.82m
2m by 1.4m
Kamatha's attack on Parsvanatha
Hall
Lion in the central compartment of the throne. Figure is within a makara arch. Four attackers, of which one is a bearded man supended in air upside down as in J20 and J22. Small figures of Parsvanatha and Bahubali to left, depicted above one another
(Fig. 39a). . Right hand is broken (Fig. 39b).
A fruit in the left hand, while a nude figure of child standing to the left. A male to right with a flower in the right hand and left hand on Ambika's hand (Fig. 39c). (Fig. 39e)
Sarvānubhuti Ambika
1.81m by 0.92m 1.65m by 0.91m
of 2m by 1.43m
Penance Bahubali Seated Jina
Seated Jina Seated Jina Seated Jina
1.56m by 0.8m Within makara arch.
Shrine
| Unfinished. 1.9m by 0.73m Head is damaged (Fig. 39d). 1.23m by 0.78m
Paintings
There are traces of plaster on all the sculptures. There are a few traces of paintings on the main icon in the shrine. It has painted figures of musicians amidst clouds all around. On the ceiling of the hall are traces of plaster and paintings. The ceiling is enclosed with a border on all the sides and there are nine squares in the centre. Each of these squares depicts figures, but only the outlines of these figures can be seen.
