________________
the otherwise wholly Jainistic images there is often a distinctive iconographic touch which does not conform to the conventional Jaina iconography. Any number of examples may be cited to indicate this phenomenon of mutual adjustment in the details of images and iconography. A major example of this is to be seen in the Jaina temple of Arang which is an architec tural marvel interpreting the bhumija style of architecture usually reserved for Saiva temples. 10 Another typical example of iconographic adjutments in Jaina sculpture is afforded by the Hanumantal (Jabalpur) Jina image. A Jaina image from Karitalai (now displayed in the Raipur Museum) similarily interprets a variation of the same idion which is predominent in the Hanumantal image. Stylistically these images conform to the idiom of sculptures of Karitalai and Tripuri-Jabalpur region as a whole, as obtaining in the 10th and 11th century.
Sagar and Narsinghpur regions also. have several sites abounding in Jaina remains. At Bina-Barha ard Ranital (Sagar district) there are rich remains exhibiting. nine Tirthankara images such as Adi
10. For a detailed study of Bhumija mode in temple architecture, see Krishna Deva, Bhumija Temples', in Studies in Temple Inian Architecture, Ed. Pramod Chandra (1975) pp. 90-113.
11. Cf. Munikanta Sagar, khandaharon ka baibhava in (Hindi), pp. 199-200.
12. Banerji, R. D., The Haihayas of Tripuri and their Monuments (M. A S.I. No. XXIII), p. 100, pl. XLI, B; p. 102. pl. XLVIII, B.
13. Bajpai, K. D.. in the Bulletin of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, (Sagar 1967), p. 74.
Jain Education International
natha, Sambhavanatha, Santinatha, etc. and Ambika. Some of these images have now been spoiled due to liberal dabs of oil applied on them. Iconographically however a pillar now standing in the compound of the Town Council office at Narsinghpur is interesting This pillar originaily was decorated with the surmounting sarvatobhadrika images whose pedestals with their empanelled sasanadevi figures have fortunately escaped damage. Thus on them we have the figures of Padmavati, Ambika and Chakreshwari (the fourth figure is damaged),11 A Jina image in the Subhash Park of Narsinghpur is also of interest and seems to articulate the same breadth of style which interprets the Jina images of Sohagpur (the Thakur's collection) and Jabalpur (Cursetjee's collection) published by Banerji. 12 Images of Jinas sasandevis and upasakas having their bearing on the Jaina art and iconography are 18 fairly abundant in the region of Shadol, (Antara, Singhpur), Jabalpur (Tewar, Karitalai, Bilhari, Darshani Gurji, Bahoribaodha), Sagar (Bina-Barha, Deori, Ranital), Satna (Ramvan Museum collection, Patyan Dae), all of which once formed the part of an
२०८
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
