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A BRIEF SURVEY OF THE ICONOGRAPHIC DATA AT KUMBHARIA, NORTH GUJARAT
Maruti Nandan Prasad Tiwari
In connection with my research work on the Jaina Iconography in Northern India I planned to visit some prolific Jaina monuments of Western India in March last. The sites, I proposed to visit with a view to make first-hand detailed study of the iconographic material thereat, also comprised Kumbharia, situated in the Banas-Kantha district of North Gujarat. Kumbharia, yielding an immense amount of iconic data, has undoubtedly been one of the richest centres of Jalna religious art in India. In the present paper I propose to make a brief but comprehensive survey of the iconographic material available at the site.
Kumbharia is well known for magnificent Svetämbara Jaina temples, numbering five and ranging in date between eleventh and thirteenth century, All the temples are located within a long boundary wall. I started my work with the Santinatha temple, constructed in the latter half of the eleventh century, which is evidenced by an inscription of Samvat 1110 (A.D. 1053) Inscribed on the throne of a Jina image installed in the Cell No. 9. On the exteriors of the Mulaprasada there are carved three Jina figures, each seated on a simple pedestal without the usual cortége. Near the Sikhara on two sides are carved niched Yakst figures of Cakresvari and Ambika (2 armed, surprisingly enough bearing a sword with an amralumbi also hanging below in right hand and with left supporting a child seated in left lap.)
The door-way of the Gudhamandapa is adorned with the figures of Mahamanas, Mahakali, Acchuptx, Vairotys, Nirvant, Sarasvati, Vajrainkhala and Puruşadatta. The pillars of the Mukhamandapa and the Rangamand pada are decorated with the figures of Robins, Vajrasṛnkhala, Cakreśvari, Sarasvati, Vairotys, Acchupta, a goddess with a trident and a snake in two upper hands and the varada and a fruit (mātulinga) in two lower ones, and another goddess with thunderbolts in two upper hands, the forms of the last two goddesses not conforming exactly to the codified works of the Jaina iconography. The door-sill of the Gidhamandapa contains the figures of four-armed Yaka Sarvanubhuti and two-armed Yaka Ambika. The first ceiling of the Mukhamandapa comprises in its four corners the figures of Brahamaśantı Yaksa, Nireta (Dikpala), Ago (Dikpala) and Sarvanubhati Yaksa (Kubera like Taksa also called Yakseśvara, The above Yakşa
