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Jaina Rock-cut Caves in Western India Siddheshvara temple at Limpangaon, also in the same district are also enclosed with perforated screens (Cousens 1931: Plate LXXVIII). The design in last two cases is of cross bars, very similar to that at Ankai-Tankai. The northern and southern sides of the hall of Mahadeva temple at Hottul in Naned district are enclosed with false grills (Deglurkar 1974: 17, Plate II C). Two more such examples are found at Mahuli in Pune district and Khanapur in Nanded district (Deglurkar 1974: 60). The Hottul temple is dated to around 1120 CE on stylistic grounds (Deglurkar 1974: 17). The Pedgaon temple is dated to the latter half of the 12th century CE, Kokamthan temple is dated to 13th century, while the temples at Limpangaon and Mahuli as well as Khanapur are dated to the period between 1250 to 1350 CE (Deglurkar 1974: 57, 94, 101).
All these architectural features and the similarities with caves at Panhale and the structural temples of the region indicate a date in the 12th century for these caves.
Iconographically too, these caves depict all the features of 12th century CE. The padma anı of the Jinas in the uttaranga of all the doorways, the śrivatsa mark on the chest of the Jinas, the throne with elephants, elephants shown lustrating the Jina as seen in the Santinatha panel in Cave III, and the occurrence of panchatirthikās are definitely late fellures, at least in this region. Moreover, as at Anjaneri, there is an attempt to differentiate the yakşa-yaksi figures for each Jina as evident in the case of the panchatirthikā and Rşabhanātha in Cave V.
This group of the caves is quite compact and is almost contemporary to each other. The ground plan, doorways and pillars of all the caves are more or less similar. However, all the caves seem to have been excavated in the same chronological order, in which they are numbered, as attested by their placements. Cave IX and X are definitely later than the other caves as they are excavated below Cave V and VI because no suitable space was available beyond Cave VIII. Caves I and II are elaborate with double stories, while Cave III is most ornate. Perhaps these caves were undertaken closely following each other. The panels of Sarvänubhuti-Ambika in Caves II and III are stylistically and also conceptually very close. The male figure on elephant and the female figure in añjali mudra in the Ambika panels in both these caves do not occur in any of the panels elsewhere and are difficult to identify within the framework of the story related to Ambika. Possibly they are important local devotees, if we do not go to the extent of identifving them as donors. Some of the other male-female figures in these panels, some of whom are obviously deities, are also difficult to identify. These figures suggest a common art idiom. Although the Sarvānubhūti figure in Cave II is a late icon inserted in, the original pilasters and torana of the panel provide ample evidence to show that the panel s similar to that in Cave III. Compared to the first three caves, other caves are less ornate In Cave IV only the hall doorway is ornamental, while the rest of the cave, including the pillars and the shrine doorway, is quite plain. Similarly, in Cave VI, only the hall and shrine doorways are ornamental. The pillars are quite plain. The doorways and pillars of last four caves are less elaborate, though of the same style. Caves IV to VIII have only two pillars in the hall, not arranged at right angles in most cases. Except Cave IV, other caves in this group are not very symmetrical or on right angles. Therefore, possibly these caves are later than the first three caves as suggested also by structural temples of later period, which are less ornate. The temples of the 11th 12th centuries are ornate, while the temples from the 13th century onwards become quite plain without
