Jinamanjari 1998 04 No 17

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 63

Jinamanjari, volume 17, No. 1, April 1998
GYRASPUR JAIN TEMPLE, MADHYA PRADESH Gulab Chandra Jain, Savarkar Path, Vidhisha 464001, MP.
Rendered from Hindi to English Kirti Khandor, Canada
Gyarapur is a village situated on the Vidhisa - Sagar road in Madhya Pradesh, Central India. The village is 34 kms from Vidhisha town. The Gyraspur Jain temple is popularly known as Maladevi temple. As one procceds towards the village, the temple can be seen from a far distance, as it is situated on the southern end of the slope the hill. The hill itself forms the southern end of the Vindhyan system. In the valley below the temple, there flows a stream whose water has a bluish tinge of colour. in the south side of the temple, a solid wall has been erected. The temple is situated on a base of insitu rock cut and thus, to the south, there is solid wall. The construction of the temple however falls within the norms of Jaina vastuṣāstra.
Some important features of the temple are found in the entrance part itself, featuring sabha mandapa and the shrine. The ceiling of the sabha mandapa is octagonal in shape. The shrine with circumbulation area around has two openings on its wall that permit light to pass through, and illuminate the inside of the temple. Above the shrine, there stands an artistic shikar.
The Pratihar rulers established the temple, and its architectural style is Nagari. This style and the period during which it was constructed can be compared with the Khajuraho temple, dated to Ninth and Tenth Centuries.
The temple faces east and has a large main shikar along with eight smaller shikars. In the southern side of the main shikar, there are image of yakşi Cakresvari seated on the bird, garuda. To her right, there is an image of Ambika.
The mandapa is supported by four pillars with an octagonal ceiling in the Nagari style. The bottom and the top of the pillars have same quadrant shape, and the top end has serpents depicted. The
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