Jaina Tirthas in India and Their Architecture

Author(s): Sarabhai Manilal Nawab
Publisher: Sarabhai Manilal Nawab

Page 26

AND THEIR ARCHITECTURE
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Plate 4 Figure 8:-MAHAVIRASVAMIN. This image is enshrined in a Jaina temple on the Kundeghāta Hill of Kshatriya-kuņda, the birth place of Mahāvīrasvāmin. A photo of it, as also of Fig. 9, was supplied to me by the Young Men's Jaina Society of Ahmedabad. I am of opinion that this image is almost contemporaneous with Mahāvīrasvāmin or at the most it may be posterior to him by about a hundred years. It stands testimony to the skill of the architects of the period.
Figure 9:-PARSVANATHA. From Rājagpiha. It is situated in a cave on the Udayagiri Hill near Rājagļiha. Its photograph was supplied to me by the Young Men's Jaina Society, Ahmedabad. Its placid facial expression, the expanded serpentine hoods behind it, its lotus seat and the wonderful and artistically arranged coils of the snake below the lotus seat create admiration in the minds of the visitors for the forceful inspiration of the master artists of those days. Very rare are such sculptures saved from the devastation of time. Both the images are without lanchhanas or emblems.
Plate 5 Figure 10 :-PARSVANATHA, situated outside the cave on the Udayagiri Hill of Rājagriha. The image is a peerless specimen of ancient sculptures. The Jainas have spared no pains to preserve such treasures and greater efforts are needed in the same direction.
Figure 11:-Standing image of PARSVANATHA from a cave near Dhānk near Walā in Kāțhiāwād. A photograph of the image was supplied to me by the secretaries of the Sri Jaina Satysprakāsa Samiti, Ahmedabad. The image has been identified by me in my article referred to under Pl. 3, fig. 6.
(N. B. Dhānk is not near Valā. It is under Gond, about nine miles to the Souti-east of Bhāyāvadar and lies at the South-east corner of the Alech range of hills. Dhānk is in western Kathiāwād, whereas Walá is in eastern Kathia vād. A. S. G.)
Plate 6 Figure 12 :-PARSVANATHA. This is a damaged stone image of about 2nd or 3rd century A. D. It was noticed by me on the outskirt of the village of Ajärā, about 13 miles from Unä Junagadh State, Kāțhiāwād). I had suggested to the secretaries of the Jaina temple at Ajārā to remove the image to the compound of the temple and preserve it. When, however, I visited the place about a couple