![]() ![]() Jain Architecture in North India The sikra or tower or the vimana is a common to both Jaina and Hindu architecture in Northern India. The image in a Jain temple is always placed in a square cell and receives its light only from the doorway. It seems to be a rule that the presence and position of the main idol should be indicated externally by a tower and should have a curved outline. The upper part of sikra overhangs the base and bends inwards toward the top is surmounted by a melon-shaped thing called the amalika. The northern Jaina style is seen at Palatina and Girnar, in Gujarat and at Mount Abu and at Parswanath in the highest point of Bengal range of hills to the south of Rajmahal. There are ruins of Jain temples at Gwalior, at Khajuraho, at Gyraspore, near Bhilsa, in Central India, at Amwah, near Ajanta and at Chittor, in Rajputana, where the noble nine-storeyed pagoda was erected as a jaya stambha to commemorate the victory of the Rajput raja Khambo over Mahmud of Malwa. Another Jain structure can be found at The Indra cave at Ellora which was built A.D. 750. Examples of Modern Jaina temples are visible at Sonaghur, in Bandelkhand at Delhiand at Ahmedabad in Gujarat. Jain Architecture in South India Jain Architecture in South India in Southern India is divided into bettus and bastis. The bettus contain images of Gomata Raja. Bastis are ordinary Jaina temples dedicated to the Tirthankars and those at Shravanabelagola are best specimens of Jaina architecture in India. They are of the Dravidian style and the towers are surmounted with a small dome. Jaina temple is always twelve pillared here. |