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Description of Temples
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gajatalu. The third and fourth are each a quatre- ceiling supported on a square frame of architraves. foil kola edged with leaves. The stamenal tube The domical ceilings in the east wing, including inserted in the quatrefoil kola is clasped by two the three on the north side, consist each of four rows of petals. From the third course project out courses, the first being octagonal and the rest, sixteen bracket figures of four-armed Vidyadharas circular. The inner face of the octagonal course carrying lotus, musical instruments and knife. The is decorated with a strip of diamonds, while its seventh course shows remains of sixteen mortices underside at each corner is plain. Each of the cir. which originally received tenons of brackets, now cular courses consists of padma incised with lotus lost, emerging from the Vidyadhara brackets. At
petals. The central circular stone covering the each corner of the dome is carved in high relief a
dome is relieved with a full-blown lotus flower large kirtttmukha.
having two rows of petals and a central pistil The two ceilings flanking the central projecting marked with small circles and rosettes. bay of the mukhamandapa are samatala and un
Compared to the almost plain ceilings in the carved.
east wing the domical ceilings in the west wing are The side aisles of the rangamandapa have seven ornate. Each ceiling here also consists of four bays each. Six of these, rectangular on plan, are
courses but has a small pendant instead of lotus. samatala and plain, possibly their carvings were Beginning from the southern end the various ceidestroyed during later times, while the one towards lings are as follows: the northern end is domical. This domical ceiling 1. The first course is octagonal and the other is composed of seven courses, the first being octa
three are circular. The inner face of the gonal and the others, circular. The octagonal
octagonal course depicts a Jina figure flanked course is plain. The second is decorated with a strip
by Maladharas, musicians, dancers, horseof diamonds. The remaining five courses consist of
riders, Gandharvas, camels, lions and eleppadmas, each incised with lotus petals. The circular
hants, while its underside at each corner apical slab covering the dome is relieved with an
depicts a kirttimukha. The second is karnaopen lotus comprising two rows of petals. The
dardarikā. The third and fourth consist each architraves supporting the ceilings are similar to
of an eight-foil kola, carrying kirttimukhas those found in the nave, but here the decoration on
on the triangular spaces. Figures of Vidyad. the upper fascia is conspicuous by its absence. The
haras on the points of the third kola course space between the nave and the nālamandapa is
are also seen. The pendant consists of a covered by three uncarved samatala ceilings.
circular plaque of reverse gajatālu and a Devakolika
stamenal tube clasped by two rows of petals.
Same as the preceding one, but the underside But for the central devakulika in either wing, all are of alike form. The pillars are of the octagonal
of the first course has projections on the two
sides decorated with foliate scrolls, and its type and correspond to the octagonal pillars of the
inner face depicts an Acärya giving religious mukhamandapa, but the lambanas on the circular section of the shaft are absent here, and the side face of
injunctions to the caturvidhasamgha and a Jina each bracket is adorned with half kirttimukha. The five
with worshippers. faceted pilasters are similar to the pillars. The archi- 3. All the four courses are circular. The inner traves are divided into two fasciae, the lower show
face of the first course is decorated with a ing lotus scrolls which issue from the mouth of a band of kirttimukhas, while it underside shows kirttimukha represented in the centre, and the upper a Kinnar-couple at each corner and a creeperthe diamonds. In the centre of their underside is band on the two projecting narrow sides. carved in low relief a lotus medallion comprising The second is padma decorated with two bands two rows of petals and a central circle marked with of lotus petal-and-bud ornament. The third twine pattern. Each bay contains a domical consists of gajatalu. The fourth comprises an
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