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Opulent Candragiri, By Dr. Nagarajiah, Hampa. SDJMI Publications, Sravaṇabeļagoļa - 573135, Karnataka, India, 2001. PP.XIV + 68
Professor Hampa, with many credits for his many scholarly Kannada works, has been sailing in the Indian and international scholarship seas for the past few years, attending national and international academic seminars, conferences, and has authored several books on the many aspects of the history of Jain India. Opulent Candragiri is the latest.
Sravanabelagoļa in south India holds the legend and records dating back to over two millennia, and it is there, Candragiri hill heralds its history of ancient India as well as of Jainism which is still flourishing with all its old and new glory. The ancient history of India and of Jainism is chronicled in inscriptions dating from seventh to nineteenth C.E.; they speak of sages and kings; warrior and noble men and women; and their great architectural achievements and literature.
With such an prologue, the book presents ancient ceyia (Prakrit term for Jain temples, Sk. caitya) built in all the three Indian architectural types - Nāgari (square), Drāvida (octagonal or polygonal) and Vēsara (circular and curvilinear) - in an admixture of the late Rāstrakūtas, early Cāļukyas of Kalyāņa and the Hoysaļa styles. All in all there are thirteen temples, mostly, Maurya king Candragupta cave with foot-prints of his preceptor, Jain Pontiff Bhadrabāhu-I, numerous epitaphs belonging to sages, kings, queens, nobles and ordinary people. Eight ancient mantapas and a few mānastambhas as well as the tall statue of Bharata, the legend emperor whose name is applied for land India, and the older brother of Bāhbali who shines on the opposite hill Vindhyagiri.
The book makes it worth cherishing for the study of Jain architecture, landscape and history.
Mānastambha: Jaina Pillar of Eminence. By Dr. Nagarajaiah, Hampa. C.V.G. Publications, 70-2nd Main, Vayyakikaval, Bangalore560003, India, 2000. PP.74
This is an exclusive monograph on mānastambha, a very characteristic feature of Jain art and architecture. The author derives the word which consists of two free morphemes -- māna + stambha. Literally, it is that which brings an end to human pride." It is a lofty monolithic column, erected in front of Jain sanctuary, and
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