Jaina Shrines In India

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

Page 49

V. The Deccan and South India
THE penetration of Jainism into penin- northern spur of Badami. Remains of sular India marks its beginning from the some pillars and mandapas with entrance 6th century A.D., when three rising empires openings have been noticed in the region. came to have their sway, viz., the Chalukyas The Menabasti Jaina Cave Temple (Pl. with their capital at Vatapi (Badami), XVI) on the Meguti Hill at Aiholi owes its the Pallavas with their capital at Kanchi origin to the merchant communities which and the Pandyas with their capital at Madu- owned a trade guild of 'the notable five hunrai. These empires elicit the growth of dred'. The temple has icons of Mahavira melloda Jaina architecture and iconography, and Parsvanātha besides the sasana deities painting being another device in which like Dharanendra and Padmavati. There the far south Sittanavasal escarpment came is another two-storeyed cave temple below to glow with some of the finest paintings the Meguti temple. The Caranti-Math that India has ever known. The ascendancy group of temples of Aiholi is stated to have of Jainism in the south continued to radiate sprung up in C.II19 A.D. In the time of the its influence for several centuries, though Rashtrakutas, Ellora became known for its not without rebuffs from the bhakti cults rock-cut caves which have some notable of the Nayanamaras who were Saivas and Jaina features. Apparently there is no the Vaishnava Alavaras. Jainism grew to distinction among the rock-temple architecbe more popular than Buddhism and had ture of the south which follows the same competent rivals in the Saivites and the pattern for the different faiths. The Jaina Vaishnavites.
complex at Ellora must have come to a
close by the roth century abounding in, The main strongholds of the Jainas were as it does, the various art motifs of Jaina no doubt in the Tamil Nadu, regions which art. Jaina inspiration works throughout had natural caverns and rock-shelters (Pl. the caves of Ellora, especially in the XIV) which proved to be of considerable Gomatesvara and Pårsvanåtha rock caves. In use to the Jaina ascetics. Traces of such massiveness the pillars of the Jaina temples sanctuaries have been revealed in the ruins know no equals and interspersed among at Tirakkol and Anamalai both of which them are to be found subtle carvings and are in north Arcot district. The Anamalai Tirthankara images. Some of the promicaves contain paintings like those of Ellora nent features of the Dravidian architecture and Sittanavasal. At the Chandragiri hills invariably present in the skilful construction at Sravanabelagola Vallimalai has a famous of the Jaina temples. A uniformly designed cave-temple with figures of Jaina Tirthan- Yeniyavargudi of six temples dated in the karas carved in relief. The temple, however, Ioth century A.D. characterises the Chaluhas now been converted into a Subrah- kyan forms of the arrangement found in the manyam temple. Royal patronage brought famous Patadakal temples which are dediinto existence the first cave temple for cated to Virupaksha. The Pattadakal Vishnu under the patronage of Mangalesa Jaina temple is moderately planned with at Badami. That gave impetus for a soli- massive pillars and pilasters. Temples tary Jaina cave temple (Pl. XV) at the at Gadag, Dambal and Lakkundi built in