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The Temples in Kumbhariya
the pattīs ornamented by good quality fanciful creeper design (Plate 48). The nave being rectangular, one of the two lateral sides of the corner triangle is a little longer, the central area, which is filled with a large grāsa-head, is therefore unequally balanced by the lateral broad and short arabesque pieces, otherwise introduced for symmetry's sake (Plate 48). This deformity was unavoidable. At the bhadra-bay in the mukhālinda or aisle between the entry-opening in the pattaśālā and the rangamandapa is carved, on the floor, a padmasarovara (?) symbol (Plate 75), a convention not noticeable elsewhere except in Kumbhāriyā where in an identical situation, one comes across another symbol instead, to be noticed further.
The devakulikās, eight in a row each, occur at the east and west; at the north there are large khattaka-niches instead, a file of three each to the right and left of the mukhamandapa's inner end. For making the complex a Caturvimśati-Jinālaya, the architect arguably had included in the computation the two khattaka-niches in the trika to complete the total of 24 sub-shrines. The devakulikās' dviśākhā doorframes (Plate 72) show unremarkable vallī- and ratnaśākhā.
The ceilings in the pattaśālā are of lantern type and, excepting for the presence of an unassuming central full-blown lotus, they practically are without the decorative detail. The pillars, arranged in a row, support the lintels bearing simple diamond decoration on the faces and all are of plain Miśraka class, indeed of little interest. Their attic members at several places deviate from the centre. The dandacchādya-awning projects from the pattaśālā at all three sides.
As an afterthought, but certainly soon after the rangamandapa and the devakulikās with the pattaśālā were constructed, the open area between them at east and west was covered with carved Samatala ceilings depicting different subjects. (These ceilings render the already present dandacchādyas, in continuous series, of the pattaśālā redundant.) Five out of the seven ceilings at the west side show narratives etc., (Plates 56-59, 62-64). Those at the east are predominantly of the box type (as are the two remaining [Plates 60, 61] on the west side) with inset figures and aesthetically are much superior from the standpoint of composition and execution (Plates 65-71). Apparently, the sculptors who executed these two classes of depiction may have come from separate groups specializing in one or the other mode of designing and rendering.
To the south of the eastern pațțaśālā and in close juxtaposition to the eastern porch is a four-doored devakulikā sheltering a Samavasarana (Fig. 5) in yellow
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