Jinamanjari 2000 04 No 21

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

Page 65

Stone Tablet Niśidhis This category is by far the most favored ones. It consists of well dressed stone slab with a semi-circular or angular top. In appearance it resembles a donator inscribed Hone slab or sometimes a herostone. However, a closer observation reveals the difference. Single-tiered, two-tired and three-tiered relief depiction are noticeable. ln single-tiered portrayal, a Jina-tirthankara is shown in the centre, seated under charratraya on a simhasana (lion-throne) flanked on one side by a nude ascetic with a thavaņeköl-stand before him, and on another side by the aspirant who may be a male or female, facing the Jina figure. The moon and the sun are also depicted almost invariably. Certain examples depict only the Jina and the devotee (Fig.5).
In the two tier depiction, the upper panel conforms to the above description with certain variations in detail - such as the introduction of cauribearing attendants flanking the Jina, pillar, sikhara etc. However in the lower panel the aspirant or aspirants are receiving instructions from the teacher-saint, facing each other. A book placed on thavaņeköl separates them. A nisidhi tablet from Bāļūr, now in KRI at Dharwar furnishes a good example of this type. (KRI Acc. No.34; Settar, 1990, p.258, Fig.82). In certain interesting cases (KR1 Acc.No.36), the thavnekõl supports a book with a four-petaled flower marked prominently on it (13th century); while the upper panel contains only a seated Jina flanked by fly-whisks. It commemorates the death by vow of a lady during the reign of Yādava king Kannara. Similar examples are noticed at Sāsuvehalli (Nagarajaiah, 1999(b); Fig.48 and 49) also. At times the aspirant couple are shown simultaneously undertaking the vow.
The three-tier depiction differs from the above only in having an intermediate panel which portrays the aspirant - whether male or female seated with hands in namaskaramuadrā in a vimāna, being carried by cauri-bearing xsaras. (Settar, 1990, p. 260, Fig. 83; KRI, Acc.No.35). A fine specimen of this type comes from Tavanandi fort and is now preserved in the Government Museum # Shimoga (Fig. 7). Here, the uppermost part of the tablet is decorated with stylized makaratorana culminating in kirtimukha. Below this there are three separate horizontal panels. The lowermost penal prominently depicts a thavanekol with aradhana-text on it. To its right is a lady seated frontal with h her hands in
caramudrā, while to its left is a nude saint seated cross-legged and raising his right hand in the gesture of praising or exposition. The central pa lady seated in a vimāna with hands in namaskāramudrā. The vimāna is being
cried by lady cauri-bearers. In the upper panel a Jina is seated, flanked by flvwhisks. On his right the lady is depicted in namaskāramudrā while on his left the mint in the attitude of exposition holding a manuscript in his left hand is shown. The example belongs to c. 15th-16th century.
In certain earlier examples from Koppaļa, nisidhis not conforming to the above types are noticed. Heavy and rectangular in section, they accommodate inscriptions recording the memorial without much sculptural detail. The upper part assumes the form of a śālākāra (wagon-vault roof type) temple with a caityakūdu in front containing miniature seated Jina.
Mišiclhis Columns They form a class by themselves. The best examples are found in Sravanabelgoļa.
Unlike the mānastambhas which are free standing, the column type nisidhis are set Jain Education International For Privates Personal Use Only