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Jalna Temples of Western India
Each arc is made up of a whorl of nine (5+3+1) with a padma carved with lotus petal-and-bud foils; its outer edge is decorated with scallop device, the padmašilā consists of seven courses of pattern. The underside spaces at the joints are thirty-two-foil kola each and a padmakeśara clasped occupied by campaka flowers.
by two rows of petals and a band of dancers and
musicians. The padmakes ara terminates in a The domical ceiling of the rangamandapa, 19.4' flower bud. Built on the principle of coradial in diameter, is of the sabhapadmamandāraka type regression the padmašila is made up of one solid (Figs. 95-96). It is composed of ten circular courses block and looks like a cluster of lotus. This big and a circular padmašila. The inner face of the domical ceiling is the most attractive part of the first course displays a kapota decorated with a band temple. It has been highly appreciated by the of leaves and caitya-arches at intervals, a deep fillet scholars.53 Indeed, words are insufficient to give carved with diamonds, and a figural band repres a true graphic picture of this splendid ceiling, enting Srāvakas, while its underside at eight angles which is not only elegant in proportion but also depicts winding creepers. The second, slightly pro- rich in ornamentation. jected into the space of the dome, is rapapatika decorated with figures of ascetics; behind the head The four corners formed at the base of the of ascetics is a band carved with diamonds.
dome also have some interesting representations. The third is karnadardarika embellished with stenc
In the southeast corner is an image of Yakşa illed lotus petals and surmounted by a row of pro.
Brahmaśānti flanked on either side by female jecting leaves and a strip of diamonds. The fourth
attendants carrying pitcher, dhvaja and garland. is räpakantha representing seventy-two figures of
The six-armed standing god holds lotus and ladle Jinas seated in dhyānamudra. The fifth is gajatalu
in the upper pair of hands, abhayamudra and vajra underlined with a band of garland loops filled with in the middle, and varadaksa and pitcher in the plumes and carrying pair of geese on their outer
lower one. He wears a beard and has swan as his edge; it is surmounted by a strip of diamonds. The
vāhana. sixth also consists of gajatālu but is topped by a
In the northeast corner is an image of eightband of leaves and a strip of stepped diamonds.
armed standing god accompanied by similar female The seventh again is gajatālu surmounted by a band
attendants. He carries trišala, lotus and fruit in the of leaves and a strip of lozenges. The eighth consists
right hands, and spear and varadākṣa in the left of sixteen whorls of nine-foid (5+3+1) kola; its
ones, his other three hands are broken off. To the triangular spaces are occupied by kittimukhas. The
right and left of the god, near the legs, are depic. ninth displays twenty-four projecting lümās; between
ted boar and lion respectively. Executed in high the limās are placed small lotus flowers. Each lämä
relief all these figures are well modelled. consists of two courses of eight-foil larger and eightfoil smaller kolas and a stamenal tube adorned with The triangular space in the northwest corner is two rows of petals. The tenth consists of twenty- narrowed by two triangular courses. The lower four-foil kola. In the centre of each foil is respres- course consists of padma decorated with stencilled ented a small lotus flower, while between the foils lotus petals and crowned by a band of ardhapadma on the outer edge are inserted lotus buds. From
pattern. The upper one is decorated with a row the fourth course project out sixteen bracket
of campaka flowers. From the centre projects out a figures of six-armed Vidyādharas (Fig. 98 )
lūma which consists of two courses of quatrefoils playing on some musical instruments, or
placed one upon the other, and a stamenal tube carrying fly-whisk, garland, lotus and dance having one row of petals. pose. These brackets support a complete set of sixteen figures of four-armed standing Vidya- The corner in the southwest direction also devis, 62 the struts of whom are tenoned into the consists of two triangular courses, but here the eighth kola course. Each of the last three courses upper course projects over the lower. The inner is also topped by a band of leaves. Commencing face of the lower course is adorned with lotus
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