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The Temples in Kumbhāriyā
decoration-scheme—some of them in pillar-niches, in ceilings such as those of the trika of the Sāntinātha temple, also in Samatala ceilings covering the space between the pattaśālā and the devakulikās, and of course in the panels of the doorframes as well as in the posts of the torana-parikaras. But in all these cases, they are present as ‘signifiers', declaring the temple unambiguously 'Jaina' besides providing the evidence for the contextual iconological connections.
Then there are figures of lesser deities such as the gandharva-minstrels and the surasundarīs. Their minor presence sometimes enliven the situations where they occur, for instance on pillars and in ceilings: the examples primarily are noticeable in the Mahāvīra temple (Plates 43, 53, 54). They are decorative but also significant accessory figures in some selected cases betraying artistic pretensions.
Among other carved stone pieces meant for worship are the symbolic representations of some cosmographic objects/features or legendary events. This is, of course, a typically medieval phenomenon unknown either in ancient literature or through actual examples. At least two of that class exist in Kumbhāriyā, a Samavasarana (Plate 73) and an Aştāpada (Plate 127, 128).' Then there are the “pattas', or the carved slabs, which virtually are stereotyped representations of themes, of which those of the 24 mothers of the 24 Jinas (Plate 237), the Vis-viharamāna-Jinas (Plate 240), the Saptatiśata-Jinas (Plate 242), the Nandīśvaradvīpa (Plate 241), the Kalyānatraya (Plate 243), and the Samalikā-vihāra/ Aśvāvabodha-caritra-patta (Plate 244) are available here. The pattas bearing figures of the 24-Jinas,' the Sammetaśikhara, 4 the schematic depiction of Mts. Girnār and the Satruñjaya, are not met with here, though an inscription mentioning an [Astā]pada (patta) (Insc. 126) is known.}
Sometime during the 12th century, a convention had begun in regard to placing a sort of parikara-torana before the image, be it in the main sanctuary, or in the bhadraprāsāda enshrining an image, or in a devakulikā. At least five such examples are noticeable in Kumbhāriyā, one connected with the Mahāvīra temple (Plate 231), the other originally before the cult image in the main sanctuary in Pārsvanātha (Plate 232), two more also installed in the devakulikās of Pārsvanātha temple (Plate 234, 235) and an instance that was connected with one of the three very large images, either in the main sanctuary or in one of the two bhadraprāsādas but discarded and removed to the backyard (Plate 233). They look impressive for intricacy of carving: the details, however, are tiresome.
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