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70 : JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD formed by a huge pyramidal tower (vimāna) as sanctuary, often with or without a large “mandapa” in front and thousands of pillars with nice sculptures.
In North India, temples in “nāgara" style remained most of the time unchanged to allow other sovereigns to build different ones elsewhere. In the South, temples are larger, often surrounded with walls and with imposing “gopuram”. Their “vimāna” have been frequently changed in highly decorated domes.
The builders of temples in mixed shapes generally borrowed elements from the two other styles. Those said “hoysala", after the name of the dynasty that built them in Karnataka, between the xh and the XIV“ centuries, are star shaped with high terraces. They often have several sanctuaries, each with a pyramidal top. Their outer walls are finely sculpted and decorated. Their inner part is a forest of big pillars, with beautiful ornaments and their windows are pierced slabs of stone.
In Orissa, Jain temples are different. They have a high sanctuarytower called “deu?” with a flat summit topped by a stone platform called “ämalaka”. This tower is followed by a series of “mandapa” covered with pyramidal roofs in successive corbellings, while their choir is generally octagonal. In that region of India, many sanctuaries built in this style are due to sovereigns of East Ganga dynasty (Xih - xvth centuries).
To note at Khajuraho, (Madhya Pradesh) that Jain temples have a particular aspect: they do not possess erotic scenes on the outside, like Hindu ones have.
A very special mention must be made of the marvellous Jain sanctuaries on Mount Abu and at Ranakpur in Rajasthan, all in white marble and of an unequalled beauty. Must be seen also the splendid temple-cities at Palitana and Girnar Hill in Gujarat, Sammet-Shikhar
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