Maladevi Temple of Gyaraspur

Author(s): Krishna Deva
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

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... MALA DEVI TEMPLE AT GYARASPUR : 265 anklets. The right foot of the god is placed on a lotus flower which rests on a jar. He carries vajra in the left hand of which faint traces have survived, while his right hand is broken with the attribute. Below niche XVI on the basement occurs a niche containing an image of a twelve-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a wheeled ironcart (lohasana). Her right hands hold broken abhaya, trisula, cakra and padma with a handle like stalk, while her left hands carry parasu, sankha, shield, bow, indistinct object which may be a toilet box, and fruit. The goddess wears a dhammilla-shaped head-dress with a mani on the simanta, kundalas, torque, wristlets, undergarment fastened by belt with jewelled loops and anklets. A seated devotee carrying offerings is depicted below the seat. From the lohasana the goddess may be identified as Ajita or Rohini, the yaksi of the second Tirthankara. In niche XVII, occurring below the north-eastern balcony, is represented a four-armed goddess seated in lalitasana on a lotus. The head and hands are broken. Niche XVIII or the last niche on the eastern end of the north face contains a four-armed goddess seated in lalitasana over a fish. She holds varada, abhaya, net and indistinct object. She may be identified with Kandarpa, the Svetambara Yaksi of the fifteenth Tirthankara who is the only goddess represented in the Jaina pantheon with the fish mount. East face : Niche XIX on the north-east corner of each face of the jangha shows consort of Revanta seated in lalitasana. She is four-armed and carries vajra, standard surmounted by human being the head of which is broken, net-like object and umbrella. A horse is depicted below the seat. A flying vidyadhara is shown over the head of the figure. INTERIOR The entrance porch or the ardha-manqapa (Fig. 4) is supported on four pillars. The ceiling is rectangular with a lenticular compartment of cusped and coffered design of the sama-ksipta variety. There is a similar ceiling between the two inner or western pillars of the ardha-mandapa and the door-way of the mandapa. Mandapa-doorway The mandapa is entered through a large and elaborate doorway. It is of the pancasakha variety, the sakhas containing respectively