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206
The Unknown Pilgrims
- In temple number sixteen, certain partly effaced and therefore illegible inscription do not permit us to decipher either the date or the reason for which certain names are engraved; however, we may guess that they are the names of donors or of visiting pilgrims. Among these names we find those of: Arjikā Sirimā, Ārjikā Padma Śri, Samjama Śri, Ratna Śri, Lalita Śri, Jaya Śri.
In the case of certain of these the name is followed by: "pranamati" lit. she bows as a sign of reverence, respect, submission. This indicates, perhaps, that these inscriptions were offered as a sign of homage to the arhats whose statues were in the temple.203
-A piece of sculpture of a period between the Xth and XIlth centuries is composed of the following group: an upādhyâya seated centrally and holding a text of scripture; on either side a seated muni, apparently preaching; behind them, standing, two munis holding their picchikās (small brooms); on the pedestal, several sthāpanās, tripods symbolising the presence of thc ācaryă in front of which some munis and āryikās are prostrating themselves as a sign of veneration.204
-In temple number ten of the XVIth or XVIIth century there are two statues of an äryikā in the dhyānamudră posture, each positioned in a niche of column two with an illegible inscription above.
-Inside the niches of columns one and three are found two images of kşullikās in standing posture. Near each, the picchikā and kamandalu are discernible, while to the left of the second a śråvikā is seated. Here also the inscriptions are illegible.205
203 Ibid., inscrs. 352; 354, p. 119. Prof. Joharapurkar in reply to my question said he thought that these texts being so frammentary, one could not be certain of their meaning and that it is possible that the images were those of āryikās before whom äryikas on pilgriamge used to bow in reverence.
204 Fisher & Jain, 1977, fig. 56; the No of the temple is not given. For sthāpanā cf. P 481.
205 Jnānamati, 1976, p. 11, figs. 2-5; these carvings (columns 2 and 1) are attributed there to the Vlth and VIIIth c., but they are in all probability of a
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