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Description and Chronology of Caves Cor Cave III
It is numbered Cave III and is called 'Mahāvira gupha' (Plate 178). It faces north. It is just a room, around 4.4m wide and 3.8m deep (Fig. 73a). It has a door and two windows. The entrance to the cave is 1.3m wide and 1.93m high. Each of the windows is 1.4m by 0.9m. At present, it has been renovated with tiled floor and iron grills on door as well as the windows. Possibly, the sculptures are also retouched'. On all the sides of the cave runs a bench, which is around 0.74m wide and 0.63m high. The ceiling is 2.25m high.
Sculptures
On the back wall, starting from the right or east, are three small, seated Jinas and a large seated Jina on the centre of the wall. Three small Jinas are carved on the upper portion of the wall, almost touching the ceiling. On the right sidewall is a small, seated Jina in the southeastern corner and two seated Jinas above one other on the centre of the wall.
1. Seated Jina: 1.25m by 0.95m.
The Jina figure measures 0.95m by 0.95m. He is seated in padmāsana. The head is shown in dots. The ears are long, touching the shoulders. The niche has a semi circular arch at the top.
2 to 5. Seated Jina: 0.46m by 0.3m.
Each Jina figure measures 0.3m by 0.3m is seated in padmāsana. On the head is a row of dots in front, while the rest of the head is shown plain. Above the head is a triple chhatra. The top of the niche has a pointed arch, which is carved with a narrow band.
6. Seated Jina: 0.48m by 0.42m.
The Jina figure measures 0.35m aforementioned figures (Plate 179).
by 0.35m. This figure is similar to the
7. Seated Jina: 0.4m by 0.37m.
The Jina figure measures 0.3m by 0.3m. This figure is similar to the aforementioned figure. But here the pointed arch above the niche is absent (Plate 179).
All the Jinas have a lozenge-shaped śrivatsa on the chest.
D
To the east of C is carved a panel of eight figures of seated Jinas, a standing couple and a chaumukha. The sculpture is around 4.7m wide. Seated Jinas: Each of the Jina figures measures 0.39m by 0.37m and is seated in padmāsana. Each has triple chhatra, halo, long ears and plain head. None of the Jina figures has a śrivatsa. Only a faint trace of srivatsa can be seen on the seventh Jina. The thrones are not shown, but traces of throne can be seen in the case of third and fifth Jina from the east. No throne backs are shown, but behind the Jina and flanking him is a
