Book Title: Temples of Kumbhariya
Author(s): M A Dhaky, U S Moorty
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Page 113
________________ Description of Temples have been treated like a triśākhā doorway. The usual pair of ornate khattakas placed between the wall-pilasters show parikaras with toranas inside (Plate 137); but the once inset images therein are lost. In the renovations carried out in the twenties of this century, the original and carved, but by then darkened and damaged ceilings were replaced, just as were the ceilings covering the bays between the rangamandapa and the pattaśālā, by plain marble slabs, indeed a lamentable loss. The rangamandapa (Plates 142-147) has a perfectly square śālā with sufficiently tall pillars and is thus the best proportioned hall of all the Jaina temples in Kumbhāriyā. Its two front pillars at the northern bhadra, like the two of the southern bhadra (shared also by the mukhacatuṣkī of the trika) are fully decorated (Plates 147, 149), the rest are of sparsely ornamented polymorphic order with well-chiselled lower members (Plate 148) as well as clean faceted shafts (Plates 143-147). The lintels supporting the central ceiling, some 16 ft. in diameter, show an unusual feature in that their lower facia are left without the usual foliate scroll decoration though the central grāsamukha is shown, the only exception being the lintel of the southern bhadra where ten panelled Vidyādevīs with diamonds in countersunk panels are shown. The tantraka, as in the halls of the preceding two temples, displays flat diamonds. The great ceiling (Plates 150-153) starts with a pattikā showing prominently jutting out grāsa-heads in file, next the karņadardarikā, then rūpakantha with diamonds and 16 vidyādhara-brackets followed by a gajatālu course and, after it, in lieu of a second gajatālu-band, comes a rūpadhārā once more followed by a gajatālu course; next come three consecutive belts of catuskhandā kolas, followed by a mono-kola course, and finally a small three-kolaja lambana. The pattaśālā pillars here are a little taller than in the two previously built temples and hence their row at the east and west look somewhat impressive (Plate 154). What distinguishes the pattaśālā of this temple from the other two is the elaborate treatment of the pair of pillars facing the two bhadra-prāsādas at east and west (Plate 155) and correspondingly also the similar looking doorframes of those two chapels (Plate 155, 156) which, moreover, strongly resemble that very ornate one of the gūdhamandapa, the pedyā-niches' pediment is here more delicately carved, almost filigree-like in treatment. The 14 dreams' patta is also present above the door-lintel in both the instances. Unlike the preceding two temples, the pattaśālā's southern side as well as the left wing of the northern side possess decorated ceilings, a few being of the Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org

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