Jaina Temples of Western India

Author(s): Harihar Singh
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 69

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Faina Temples of Western India
formed by substracting a broad belt from each of the of eight-foil reverse and six-foil normal kolas, and a longer sides. This is done by placing two rectangular stamenal tube inserted in a deeply set quatrefoil slabs across the longer sides. The inner face kola and clasped by a band of dancers and musiof the frame shows figures of four-armed lalitasana cians and one row of petals. goddesses in projecting niches and rosette-marked
The ceiling in the northeast bay is of the diamonds in alternate recesses. The underside of
domical order. Square on plan it consists slabs on the two shorter sides shows three slightly
of four circular courses and a circular padmašila. projecting lümās of the serrated diamonds type.
The inner face of the first course is carved with Arranged in diagonal order each of these lümäs
a row of elephants, while its underside at the consists of two courses of eight-foil and quatrefoil
four corners depicts a Kinnara-couple with other kolas and a stamenal tube decorated with one row
Kinnaras, two elephants lustrating a lotus plant, of petals. Between these lümās are set up flat but deeply cut half limas on the sides and quarter låmäs
Gaja-Lakşmi, or two färdūlas. The second is
karnadardarikā topped by a band of diamonds and at the corners. Each of the half lämās consists of a whorl of nine-fold (5+3+1) kola, and each of the
beads. The third is decorated with figures of horse
riders. The fourth depicts a procession of warriors. quarter lümas comprises trefoil kola. The ceiling
The padmašila commences with a band of diamonds proper represents four large but slightly projecting
and beads carved on the level surface. Then it is lämās in the four corners and a larger replica of the same in the centre, one full and two half lumas of
occupied by two courses of eight-foil and six-foil the flat but deeply cut variety in each of the four
kolas, each preceded by a reverse gajatalu. Lastly cardinal points, and a quarter one of the latter
comes the stamenal tube inserted in a deeply set variety at the end the four corners. All the limās
quatrefoil kola and clasped by two rows of petals. resemble serrated diamonds and are arranged Square on plan the ceiling (Fig. 8) in the northdiagonally. Each of the four larger lämās in the west bay is domical. It consists of three circular four corners consists of two courses of eight-foil courses and a circular padmafila. The inner face larger and eight-foil smaller kolas and a stamenal of the first course represents lalitasana goddesses tube clasped by one row of petals. The central with attendant figures, while its underside at each lāmā consists of three courses of twelve-foil, eight- corner depicts an image of four-armed lalitāsana foil larger and eight-foil smaller kolas and a stam- divinity accompanied on either side by a Málaenal tube having one row of petals. Each of the dhara and a Vidyadhara. Two of these images are full lümās in the cardinal points is made up of two identifiable with Vajränkusi and the other two with courses of eight-foil and quatrefoil kolas and a Ambika and Yaksa Brahmasanti. The underside flower bud in the centre, while each of the half space between these images on two sides is filled lümās consists of a whorl of eight-fold (5+3) kola with figures of musicians and dancers. The second and a flower bud. The quarter Tämäs pertain each course consists of twelve whorls of four-fold (3+1) to a whorl of three-fold (2+1) kola.
kola carrying figures of Vidyadharas on the points The ceiling in the southeast bay is of the
and of kirttimukhas on the triangular spaces. The domical order. Square on plan it consists of four
it consists of four third pertains to six-foil kola edged with twelve-foil circular courses and a circular padmašila. The reverse kola. The circular padmašila is a unique first course carries images of lalitäsana goddesses
one. It has a perpendicular outer surface carved in niches on the inner face and a creeper meda
with male figures carrying water vessels, while its llion at each corner of the underside. The second is soffit displays an eight-foil reverse kola and a serrat. adorned with a row of geese. The third consists of ed diamond. In the diamond are set up two coursixteen-foil kola, each foil containing a stamenal ses of eight-foil and quatrefoil kolas, and a tube ornamented with one row of petals. The stamenal tube clasped by a band of dancers and fourth, edged with gajatalu, has twelve-foil kola, musicians and one row of petals. each foil here also having a stamenal tube clasped The ceiling in the southwest bay is domical. by one row of petals. The padmašila is composed Square on plan it consists of five circular courses