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Jaina Temples of Western India
MIANI
JAINA TEMPLE
It consists of a malepräsida, a gūḍhamaṣṇape, a mukhamandapa and a rangamanḍapa, the last compartment has gone now, but for a few pillars and architraves (Fig. 113). The temple faces north. The temple is in the ruinous condition and is consider. ably weather-worn.
Malaprāsāda
It is tryanga on plan consisting of bhadra, pratiratha and karna, each anga being broken into three planes. The karna is equilateral; the pratiratha has the same width as the karna but is projected only half of its width; and the bhadra is the widest buttress having projection equal to that of the pratiratha. The frontal karna and pratiratha are transmuted in a buffer wall which separates the gudhamandapa from the sanctum. Between the karnas and pratirathas are salilāntaras.
In elevation it displays pitha, vedibandha, jangha, varaṇḍikā and fikhara. The pitha consists of a bhitta, a jad yakumbha, a kumuda and a paṭṭika, the last one be ing adorned with diamonds. The vedibandha pertains
to a khura carved with diamonds, a kumbha adorned with concave-sided half diamonds bearing incision of flamboyant pattern, a kalata, and a kapota decorated with caitya-arch enrichment and underlined with leaves. The jangha is supported by a mañcikā. Divided into two registers by a plain pattika and also topped by a similar pattika, the jangha is plain, except for projecting sculptured niches on the bhadras. The niches, surmounted by udgamas, are empty now. Above the jangha comes a square bharay clasped by foliage. The saradika consists of a kapota and a ribbed eave-cornice.
The fikhara, rising abruptly above the eave cornice, displays a tryanga malamanjari marked by six bhumi-amalakas, two uromañjarīs and a rathika along each bhadra, two frigas over each karna, and one friga over each pratiratha. The mulamanjari is crowned above the griva by an amalaka and a candrika, the other crowning members have disappeared. The uromañjaris and the frigas are similar to the mulamañjari, with this difference that these are divided into five stages of bhimi-amalakas,
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Each rathika contains a large diamond and is surmounted by an udgama. On either side of the rathika is a niche also containing diamond. Between the frigas are placed gajamundas. The whole of the Sikhara is enmeshed with a lattice of minute caitya-arches.
The door of the sanctum (Fig. 115) is of the tritakha variety, consisting of a patrafakha carved with foliate scrolls, a stambhalakha flanked on each side by a bakulamālā, and a bahyasakha decorated with lotus petals. At the base of each fäkhā stands a female figure carrying water pot. The stambhasakha is divided into four sections, viz. square, octagonal, sixteen-sided and circular, the last one being clasp. ed by two decorative bands of diamonds and beads. The top of the stambhasakha shows mouldings of a kumuda and a ribbed padma. The udumbara shows a semi-circular projection carved with stemmed lotus in the centre, a projecting kirttimukha on each Ambikä on proper right and an unidentified side of it, and a sculptured niche containing goddess on proper left, both having four arms and seated in lalitasana with female attendants. The uttaranga is divided into two registers. The lower register displays a round capital of karnika and padma topping the stambhafakha on either end, while the space between them is filled with the scroll-band and the bakulamālā carried over here from the fakhas. On the lalața is a Jina seated in dhyanamudra. The upper register is treated like a
cornice.
The enshrined image in the sanctum is missing
now.
Godhamandapa
It is also tryanga on plan and shares its pitha and mandovara with the mulaprasada. The superstructure has disappeared. It is entered from the north through the mukhamandapa. Its doorframe (Fig. 114) is of the trifakha variety, consisting of a patrasakha decorated with lotus scrolls, a stambhaśakha flanked on the inner side by two bands of bakula flowers and on the outer side by one row of bakula flowers and one band of bead-and-reel motif, and a plain bahyasakha. The stambhalakha is treated like a segmented circular pilaster bearing sculp
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