Jain architecture

JAIN ARCHITECTURE
Excellent Jain architecture and sculpture can be seen in their Stupas and rock-cut caves
found in Mathura, Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa cave temples. A number of
rock-cut caves have been discovered in Udaigiri and Khandagiri, twin hills in Puri District of
Orissa and in Ellora in Maharashtra.
The Udayagiri Hill
(Picture courtesy Archaeological Survey of India)

Indrasabha, Cave 33, Ellora
Excavated mainly as retreats for Jaina ascetics, they belong to the first century and second
century BC. The eighteen Udaigiri and fifteen Khandagiri caves differ in plan from the rock-
cut viharas of the Buddhists. The Jain viharas here do not have the assembly or prayer hall
surrounded by cel1s nor a sanctuary like the Buddhist viharas. Excavated at different levels,
the cells are narrow with low ceilings. There are no niches in the walls. The cells are small
and plain, in keeping with the rigorous asceticism of Jain monks. Some of the cells have
shelves cut across the walls. The doorways are small and one has to bend or crawl to enter
a cell. In some of the cells the floor is raised at the rear end to serve as a pillow. Some cells
have low raised platforms for beds. The lay-out of the cells is such that they get sufficient
light - the cells opening on to a verandah. The Udaigiri caves are double-storeyed and have
a courtyard in front.

Rani Gumpha
(Picture courtesy Orissa Tourism)
The largest and finest of the Udaigiri caves is Cave 1 called the Rani-Gumpha or Rani cave.
(Gumpha the local word tor cave). The Rani-Gumpha is important for its heavily sculptured
friezes. The architecture of the cave is simple, having been excavated on three sides of a
quadrangle. The roof of the verandah projects outwards like an overhanging cornice (eave).
Pillars have been cut to support the roof giving the caves an effect of structural houses. The
right wing of the lower storey has one cell with three small entrances and a pillared
verandah. Two armed dwarapalas stand guard on either side of the verandah. Though the
pillars have collapsed, the capitals with sculptured bulls and lions are to be seen intact. The
entrances to the cells are arched with motifs of the lotus and creepers coming out of the
mouths of animals. The back wall of the verandah is covered with a frieze of elaborately
carved figures. The left wing has three cells and the main wing has four cells. The doorways
of all the cells are decorated with sculptured pilasters and arches. Carved friezes depicting
the reception of a king returning victorious from a battle adorn the rear walls of the
verandahs. In the upper storey also, the plan is the same - with four cells in the main wing
and one cell each on either side. Each cell has two doorways with curved arches and
engraved pilasters Symbol, auspicious for the Jains are carved in the space between the
arches. The workmanship in the upper storey is superior to that of the lower. On the whole
the figures are shown in easy natural poses with their faces in various profiles and moods.
The designs on the pillars are similar to those used in Buddhist caves. The inscriptions on
the cave walls give valuable information about the rulers and dynasties of that period. The
cave is a good exhibit of the water supply system at the time. As there was no worship of
images then, there is no Jain thirthankara in the original carving. Figures of thirthankaras
carved on the walls of the cells are a later addition to the Khandagiri caves which were
redone in about the 11th and 12th centuries A.D. to serve as sanctuaries.

Khandagiri, Hathi Gumpha
(Picture courtesy Orissa Tourism)
The Hathigumpha is important for its rock-cut inscription of King Karavela of Orissa which
describes chronologically the events of his rule.
Jain architecture reached the peak of excellence in the 11th and 12th century AD as can be
seen in their temples in Rajgir in Bihar and Palitana in Kathiawar.

Khandagiri Jaina Temple

Jain architecture

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Jain architecture