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Jaina Temples of Western India
in the central bay of the south portico is filled with narrow underside on two sides is decorated with a sculptural panel. The panel depicts Gaja-Lakşmi foliate scrolls. As has rightly been pointed out, it in the centre and a Kinnar-couple and a sculptured is one of the best ceilings in this temple.54 niche on each side, the whole being placed in a
The ceiling in the southeast bay consists of two multiple arch. On either end of the panel is a fine
square courses, the first projecting into the space sculpture of swan mounted by a human figure
of the ceiling and the second occupying the central carrying water pot; this figure is carved wholly in
area. The inner face of the first course is adorned the round. The spaces between the pillar-capitals
with diamonds, while its underside shows a padma in side bays of the west portico are also filled with
moulding adorned with flamboyant pattern, and sculptural panels, but here it depicts an image of
two decorative bands, one displaying lotus petalfour-armed lalitāsana goddess Ambika flanked on
and-bud ornament and the other carrying flamboeach side by female dancers and musicians. Below
yant design. The second course is samatala. It the capital is a large kirttimukha. The porticoes are
depicts a band of diamonds and beads on the north shaded on the east side by a corrugated awning,
and south sides, and then in a square edged with while elsewhere they are overshadowed by a double
gajatālu it shows, one within the other, four square curved variety of eave-cornice. The soffit of the
bands placed diagonally with the square frame. latter is adorned with fine lotus petal-and-bud
The first band displays a whorl of three-fold (the ornament. This unique eave-cornice is a fine piece
central foil being smaller than the side ones) kola of art.
at each corner and a whorl of three-fold (the cenEach bay contains an ornate ceiling supported tral foil being larger than the side ones) kola on on rectangular or square frame of architraves. each side. The second has a whorl of three-fold The six ceilings in the southern portico are as normal kola at each corner and a semi-circular kola follows:
on each side. The third consists of an eight-foil The ceiling in the northeast bay is samautksipta (the foils on the corners being smaller than those of the mandaraka variety (Fig. 99). Square on plan on the sides) kola. The central square depicts a cirit consists of two courses, the first being octagonal cular kola. The kolas are set up in steps and points; and the second, twelve-sided with flat central area. the points are indented. The ceiling is raised up The inner face of the first is decorated with dia- by a square frame of four rectangular slabs decomonds, while its underside at each corner depicts rated with saw-tooth pattern. a kirttimukha in an arch of creepers issuing from its mouth. The second, accommodated in gajatālu,
mmodated in aqiatalu. The ceiling in the north bay is built on a recrepresents mandāraka element in three concentrictangular plan, but its space is reduced to a square circles. The outer circle, overlapping the gajatalu, by a frame of four rectangular slabs placed over consists of twelve large foils of kola alternating with the architraves. The inner face of the square twelve small foils of kola. The foils are made poin- frame is carved with two bands of ardhapadma ted. The points of the larger foils, indented into motif, while its underside on each of the two shorthree angles, accommodate kirttimukhas. The inter- ter sides depicts a padmāsana Jina in dhyānamudra. mediate circle is made up of twelve-foil pointed on the two sides of the Jina are Naigameşin and kola; the points here also are indented into three Sråvakas and Srävikās. The ceiling proper is angles and contain kirttimukhas, but between the domical. It consists of four courses and a central points are inserted lotus buds. The central circle pendant. The first course is octagonal and the comprises six-foil pointed kola; between the foils others are circular. The inner face of the first are lotus buds. In the centre of the central circle course is decorated with a row of geese, while its is scooped out a circular kola. Carved in high underside at each corner depicts a kirttimukha in an relief the mandāraka element is best represented arch of creepers issuing from its mouth. The other here. The ceiling is raised up by a square frame three courses consist of padmas, each carved with of four rectangular slabs. The inner face of the lotus petal-and-bud motif. The pendant represents frame is carved with ardhapadma pattern, while its an open campaka flower comprising two rows of
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