YJA Convention 2002 07 NJ Fifth

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

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wealthiest individuals. Kings and rich merchants used their considerable resources to build some of the most breathtaking temples. These temples served two
purposes:
1. To aid the spirituality of the king and Community and
2. To create a lasting relic of their reign.
Within Jain architecture I will discuss two kinds of structures: the actual physical building structure and the structure of the Jain sangh itself. The first is an obvious topic in architecture as the temples are a reflection of vision, time, and money that went into their construction. The second looks at the influence of these temples on the actual fabric of society. They were created as centers of religion and culture. Temples are anchors of community. Without them the structure of the Jain community would much weaker. This session will discuss not only the architecture in the literal sense but also how these stone buildings show the amazing architecture of Jain society.
There are many temples that we will be discussing, including those at Mount Abu and Ranakpur, Palitana, and Shravarn Belgoda.
notes:
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as remarkable as the temples themselves. Other The stories behind some of these ways of looking at Jain architecture will also be discussed. If you are interested in more information
about any of these temples or want to learn about others two great books are:
India
Amazing Jain Architecture
Pallavi Gala
"For Private & Personal Use Only
Shree 108 Jain Tirth Darshanawali The Peaceful Liberators: Jain Art from
Of course, the best is to go directly to the source itself. So if you are ever presented with the opportunity to visit these or any other Jain tirths, be sure to take it and enjoy their wondrous beauty and spirituality.
www.janelibrary.org