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STYLE AND COMPOSITION IN THE INDRA SABHA AND THE JAGANNATHA SABHA CAVES AT ELLORĀ
Doris Chatham
At the northern extremity of the Ellora ridge, where it curves to face the south, are clustered all of the Jaina caves of the site except for one, the "Chota Kailasa," a free-standing, rock-cut temple excavated, evidently somewhat later, in imitation of the renowned brahmanical monument, the nearby Kailasanatha temple. (This temple is in an isolated position on the west-facing ridge between the Dumar Lenā Cave and the northern spur.) These caves have been described by Fergusson and Burgess and, more recently, by K. R. Srinivasan". There is also a small monograph on the subject by José Pereiera which provides a helpful re-numbering of the cave-complexes, with plans, to which we shall refer for locational identification3. Rather than attempt an exhaustive study of the group here, I shall confine to a narrow aspect, and for coherence, I shall look only at the two major excavations, the caves-complexes called the Indra Sabha and the Jagannatha Sabhä, numbered by Fergusson and Burgess, Caves 32 and 33-34, respectively.
Before beginning a stylistic analysis, however, a brief survey of the historical setting in which these caves originated may be in order. Although the several inscriptions give only names of carvers and identifications of images, it seems fairly certain that we can ascribe them to the reign of the Raṣṭrakūta emperor Amoghavarṣa I. The son of the skillful warrior and powerful Rāṣṭrakūta ruler, Govinda III, Amoghavarsa is better known for peaceful pursuits. He was a boy of about 15 when he came to the throne in A. D. 814. His cousin, Karkka, son and successor of the brother Indra, whom Govinda had made viceroy of Gujarat, acted as regent during the young king's minority. During the early years of the reign, which lasted until A. D. 877, therefore, the records come primarily from the Gujarat branch. In the later years, they are most numerous in Kanarese country or Karnatadeśa proper. Amoghavarsa began to rule in A. D. 818, only to face a rebellion of feudatories, joined by the Eastern Călukya army of Vijayāditya II, which was, for a time, successful. The regent, Karkka II, however, managed to quell the revolt and to reinstate his cousin sometime before A. D. 8217. With the help of a great general, Bańkeya, the king was able to hold his empire together for the rest of his reign, in spite of conflicts with the Gujarat branch after the death of Karkka II in c. A. D. 830 and threats from the Gurjara-Pratihāra ruler, Bhoja 1. He founded the royal capital of Mänyakheta (or else shifted the seat of governance at the already existing township), where he held a court which must have been impressive, both materially and intellectually'. He was a special patron of Jainism, and a series of celebrated Digambara and Yäpaniya authors, who had begun to become prominent during the time of Govinda III, experienced the enthusiastic support and participation of the king, and produced significant
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