Some Early Jaina Temples in Western India

Author(s): M A Dhaky
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

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SOME EARLY JAINA TEMPLES IN WESTERN INDIA : 333
landmarks perfectly bolstering the concept of the aforementioned two archetypal styles and the third style that resulted by their mating. The Anadakarana temple in the heart of the town represents the MahaMāru style of the mid-tenth century but still at its virginal purity; the Navalakha Parávanatha temple has a Mülaprasada that follows MahaGurjara style but the Güdhamandapa, curiously, is expressive of the Maha-Märu style; and finally the Someśvara temple, of late eleventh century, is a representative of the full-fledged Maru-Gurjara style. Our immediate concern is of course with the Navalakha temple to which now we shall turn.
The Navalakhā Pārśvanätha temple was originally dedicated to Jina Mahavira since referred to as Viranatha maha-caitya and Mahavira caitya in the inscriptions of 1122 and 1145 respectively. The oldest inscriptions on the image-pedestals within this temple are datable to 1088 and 1095 respectively.
The temple comprises a Mülaprasāda, Gudhamandapa, Rangamandapa and the Devakulikās surrounding the major part of the temple-premise. The Devakulikäs are not integrated with the Rangamandapa. They, together with the latter structure and the sikhara of the Mulaprasada, were added or replaced in 1629 when the previous cult image was substituted for that of the Pärávanatha; our interest is, albeit, centred around the older portions only.
The Mülaprasada is tri anga on plan with karna, pratiratha, and bhadra in the proportion of 1:0.75:2 respectively. The original diameter, inclusive of the pitha now hidden below a recently built platform, could, seemingly, be 6 M. The topmost part of the pitha exposed above the mask of the platform is a slanting cippikä such as known at Trinetreśvara temple at Than. The vedibandha of the wall, strangely enough, does not possess the usual antarapatra. The kumbha reveals interesting decorations; powerfully rendered, fully blown half lotus on the karna faces,59 hamsa yugma as well as kinnara yugma on the pratiratha faces," and sûrasenaka at the bhadras.61 The kapotapali is ornamented with
58a BHANDARKAR (1908), p. 45.
As found on the kumbha of the Devakulikā No. 5 in Mahavira temple group at Osia. This one, from Navalakha, has a little earlier look.
60 Such decorations are known at the identical positions at Ambika temple at Jagat and Siva temple, Kotai.
61 This is a Maha-Māru feature.