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Description and Chronology of Caves
The doorway leading to the hall is ornamented, but is less elaborate than the hall doorway of Cave I (Fig. 51d). It does not project out as much as that in Cave I. It has five sakhās of vyala, valli, stambha, rupa and valli. The vyala sakha here has riders on the vyalas. The stambha sakha has a square shaft with a deity on the base surmounted by pūrņaghata, octagonal band, round portion with triangular plate, ghata-shaped member and cushion-shaped member. The capital is cushion-shaped, while the brackets are rolled. The deity on the lower portion of the shaft is Sarvānubhūti on the right jamb and Ambikā on the left jamb, each placed within a pilastered niche. The rupa sakha carries six couples on the right doorjamb, seven on the left and six garland bearers above the doorway. The couples are engaged different activities such as in anjali mudrā, playing musical instruments, dancing or with garlands. Like Cave I, there are male-female figures on the pedyā, standing in different postures and fully adorned. The figures on the stamba sakha are of male dvarapalas, placed in pilastered niches. The portion below these figures is not carved. On the uttaranga are three pieces of khura type mouldings, each surmounted by a triratha-nagara śikhara topped by a kalasa. The central śikhara is flanked by a lion, while on the inner side of śikhara on the extreme ends is an elephant shown heading towards the central sikhara. On the lintel is a seated Jina. The chandrašila is plain. On the right jamb, there is a figure beyond sakhas. The portions of the rock left above his head and also on the side of sakhas on right side suggest that probably one more sak ha was intended to be carved.
The hall is 7.65m wide along the back and 7.5m wide at the front. It is 7.22m deep on the right and 7.35m deep on the left. The hall ceiling is 2.9m high. In the centre, there are four pillars arranged in a square and two corresponding pilasters on the back wall. Between the pillars, there are stone beams on the ceiling, while the floor is raised slightly. The pilasters are shown three-quarters as they are on the sides of the antechamber also. Each of the pillars has a square base with three square mouldings and a triangular plate, square shaft with square block surmounted by octagonal portion with petals, a round portion with a figure on each face, octagonal band with the design of diamonds alternating with circles, round portion with kirtimukha flanked by flowers, octagonal band, square block with kirtimukha, octagonal band and round portion. The shaft is surmounted by kumuda, antarpatta, karnika, antarpatta, kumuda, antarpatta, karnikā, a ghata shaped capital and four-armed brackets with a kichaka on each arm. The kichakas are as in Cave I. Some play vina and flute, some are with dagger and shield, while one has a bell in the hand. The kichaka on the western arm of the southeastern pillar has a face of vyala (Fig. 52c).
The pilaster has a square plain base. The shaft rises in a square block surmounted by a band of antarpatta, karņikā and antarpatta with triangular plate, square portion carved with intricate floral design, square block carved with kirtimukha flanked by flowers and square portion. Above this portion are mouldings of kumuda, karnika, antarpatta, karnika, and antarpatta. The capital is ghata-shaped. The brackets are round with snake-hood (Fig. 52b). On the southern face of the left pilaster is a crudely carved figure of a male standing in tribhanga on a lotus with a long stalk. The object in the right hand is broken, but seems to be a flower, while the left hand is hanging down. He wears a large bun on side.
There is a lotus on the ceiling, but not within a square as in Cave I.
