Temple of Satrunjaya

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 79

enclosures) many cloister-cells, each enshrining one or more images o Tirthankaras.
The central temple is considerably the largest, with its principal entrance from the east, while the ascent to the porches on the north and south is from the platforms on these sides. On the pillars of the front porch guards are cut in alto relievo and about half way up the walls, a deep belt of sculpture runs round the whole temple, containing pretty large representations of Bhavani, Ganesa, and other favourites of the Hindu Pantheon. In narrow recesse; between these there are smaller sculptures, some of them indecent in the extreme, but it must be said, that it is only in this enclosure that such are noticeable. The chief maṇḍapa and the porches are crowned with plain low domes, and the gambhārā, or shrine, with three spires. It was built by the Modi in 1786. A.D. and contains quite a row of idols raised against the back wall; the inventory mentions "sixty-eight statues of Adisvara, etc., two pañcatirthi, nine siddha-cakra, in the mandapa thirty-four images, twenty-nine in the two pāțias, one of Cakresvari Mata, one of Yaksa in the second gambhārā, two of Yaksa and Yaksini, and one Padmavati."
Over the entrance gate is the temple of Pundarika Svami, built by Hemchand Lalchand in 1786, with thirty images.
Immediately to the left of the entrance is a temple of bluish marble, facing the north. It was erected in 1803 A.D. by Javheri Ratanchand Javherachand of Sural, with twenty-two images in all, including those in a small apartment on the road. And though, at first sight, differing considerably from the plan of the temples already described, it is derived from the same fundamental form; twelve points are so arranged in a square that, omitting the corner ones, the remaining eight in the periphery form a regular octagon, whilst four inside, form an inner square having the same length of side. This determines the arrangement of the marble pillars in the mandapa including the pilasters along the back wall. An additional aisle added behind, forms the sanctuary or gambhārā, separated by a screen pierced with three doors. The spaces between the columns along the sides of the mandapa appear to have been closed after the temple was completed. The floor is, as usual, of black and white marble
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this fact to the books of the Acaryas (already mentioned), and local traditions, which combine the name of Samprati with that of the Modi. This last, however, was worthy of distinction, for he not only repaired and embellished the fallen temples, endowing them with funds for the support of the priests, but encircled them with strong embattled walls for their defence.. Nowhere are the gods better provided with the means of resistance, and here Adinatha and his disciples might remain free from all alarm, if they would put faith in the arm of flesh."-Tod, Travels in Western India, pp. 288, 289. Vide ante p. 55, note 123.