Book Title: Jaina Temples of Western India
Author(s): Harihar Singh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

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Page 114
________________ Description of Temples 97 ор lozenges. The rectangular frame lifting up the ceiling is carved with a band of kirttimukhas. 9B-Rectangular on plan it is samatala. Its rectangular flat surface bears fine reliefs of a Samavasarana scene, port of Dwarka, Girnar-tirtha, etc.57 The ceiling is raised up by a frame of four rectangular slabs carved with ardhapadma motif. with gajatalu and a diamond-and-bead band interr- upted at regular intervals by circular plaques, and is topped by a band of projecting leaves. The dome is composed of eight courses, the first being octagonal and the rest, circular, The inner face of the first course depicts lotus scrolls punctuated with figures of goose, Kinnar-couple and elephant, while its underside at each corner is boldly relieved with a Kinnara-couple making dance, embracing each other, or playing on some musical instruments. From the navel of the Kinnar and Kinnari emerges creepers which fill up the space at their back. In one instance the Kinnara is represented wearing a beard. The next five courses consist of padmas, each decora- ted with lotus petal-and-bud arnament. The lotus petal-and-bud arnament. The seventh consists of sixteen-foil kola. The eighth has an eight-foil kola; its central space in scooped out in the form of a circular kola, Devakulika 10A-Rectangular on plan it is completed in three stages. The first consists of a rectangular frame treated as padma carved with lotus petals. The second is like the first but is topped by a Kirttimukha-band. The third is samatala; its rectangular flat surface is boldly relieved with an eight-armed image of Cakreśvari sitting in lalitāsana on a pedestal (Fig. 104). She carries ring, abhayamudrā, disc and varadamudra in the right hands, and ring, jñānamudrā, disc and mātulunga in the left ones. Her Garuda vahana is represented in the zoomorphic form below her right folded foot. The goddess is accompanied on each side by a female dancer. Devakulika 8A-Square on plan it is an utksipta ceiling of the padmaka variety. It is represented by nine projecting lūmās arranged in three lines of three cach. Square on plan each läma consists of an eight-foil kola and a reverse gajatalu; on the tip of the last is a quatrefoil kola accommodating a circular reverse gajatālu. The inner face of the square frame lifting up the ceiling is divided into two horizontal belts, the lower showing a band of kirttimukhas and the upper the ardhapadma pattern; while its underside on the two narrow sides is decorated with a strip of lotus petals. 8B--Square on plan it is a kşiptotksipta ceiling of the nābhicchanda order. It consists of sixty-four limās projected and depressed alternately and disposed in eight lines of eight each. Each lūma consists of a quatrefoil and a circular kola. The lümās on the four sides are only half represented. The inner face of the square frame raising up the ceiling is divided into two horizontal belts, the lower being decorated with ardhapadma pattern and the upper with a band of kiritimukhas. 10B-Square on plan it consists of two square courses. The first is a square frame bearing a band of diamonds and beads and mouldings of karnika and padma on the inner face, while its underside is carved with gajatālu. The second is samatala. Its square flat surface is divided into four square compartments. Bordered by a band of diamonds and beads each compartment contains four campaka flowers, each flower comprising two rows of petals. The corners of the compartments are filled with kirttimukhas Devakulika 11A-This ceiling is very similar on plan, structure and ornamentation to that seen in Devakulika 10 A, but here the second course is surmounted by a band of ardhapadma pattern, and the goddess Cakreśvari is replaced by Sarasvati attended upon either side by a female cauri-bearer. The six-armed goddess holds þadma, cymbal and varadaksa in the right hands, and vina, cymbal and manuscript in the left ones. Her swan cognizance is shown below her right folded leg. 11B-Rectangular on plan it is a samatala ceiling (Fig. 102) bearing reliefs of Neminātha's renuncia Devakulika 9A-Rectangular on plan it is samatala. Its rectangular flat surface is represented with thirty-five campaka flowers disposed east-west in five lines of seven each, each consisting of two corollas of petals. The corner spaces between the flowers are occupied by concave-sided carved 13 Jain Education International For Private & Personal use only www.jainelibrary.org

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