Jaina Shrines In India

Author(s): O P Tandon
Publisher: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Vovernment of India

Page 38

Dispersal of Shrines
21
tion of Jaina temples at Narwar, Tumaion, eleventh and succoeding centuries are in Chanderi, Bhanpura and the entire Malwa existence. Temples dedicated to Santinatha region.
and Bahubali are among the most significant At Maski near Ujjain, there were two
temples at Ahar. Banpur near Tikamgarh Jaina establishments which belonged to the
has an interesting temple of Sarvatobhadra Digambara and Svetambara Sects. A
Sahasrakuta. The temple is in the nagara temple of Parsvanatha was built in 1461
style and its decorative motifs relate to the A.D. by Sangrama Singh Soni. Images
river goddossos, nagagrahas and foliage containing inscriptions of the 14th and 15th centuries are preserved in a temple at Bania
Dronagiri in Chharpur region is regarded wadi at Dhar. Dhar had been a great to be a siddha-kshetra and has thirty Jaina centre of learning and in its vicinity, lics shrines spread over the hillocks. These Mandu, famous for its elegant monuments were constructed betwoen 1483 and of the medieval period and the romantic 1529 A.D. stories of the exploits of Rani Rupamati and Baj Bahadur, which live to this day.
which live to this day Jaina art and architecture is also consNames of several Jaina scholars like Jhan- picuous though on moderate scales, at jhana and Mandana have been preserved
dana have been preserved Chanderi (Chanvisi temple built in 1836 to posterity. Badwani has also many Jaina
A.D.), Sonagiri, Nainagiri, Gadaha, Pajatemples. An image of Adinatha. 26 metres nari, Ajaigarh, Golakot, Nannia and places high, is found carved in the rock and on
of lesser note around these places. The the adjoining hillock, called Chulgiri, a Ajaigarh Santinátha temple which is of series of twenty-two Taina temples exist. considerable importance was built by Vira Jaina statues and temples are, likewise, Varman Chandela in 1279 A.D.Co found at Alirajpur (Jhabua), Vidisa, Samas
butions of rulers of Jaina art have been garh and Bundelkhand and Bhagalkhand remarkable but not less astounding have regions in general.
been the sacrifices of the Jaina saints and
masons who worked assiduously for the In Sagar district, there are a couple of
glorification of their establishments. temples at Bina-Barha. The first temple is of Chandraprabha whose image was The latest phase of Jaina architecture is installed in 1775 by Mahendrakirti. Be- manifested in the shrines built at Semarsides this image, there is also an image of khedi (Vidisa), Malhargarh (Guna), Pajahari Mahavira, 4 metres high. The second and Patna (Sagar), Kolha (Mandasor) and temple dedicated to Santinātha was built at places where the Jaina tradition evince a in 1746. It is 5 metres high and Santina- fusion of styles and aesthetic deterioration. tha is depicted in the Khadgasana. Twenty The rich architectural creations and embelkilometres east of Tikamgarh, at Ahar, lishments gave way to superfluous ornatemples built by Chandela rulers in the mentation in the late medieval period.