The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c14.s1: The Jaina Temple
The Chālukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c14.s1
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The Jaina Temple
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BETWEEN the early temples already described and those that follow there is a wide gulf which does not seem to be bridged over by any examples unless it be that which we shall now consider. Not only in style is there a great difference between the earlier and these later Chālukyan temples, but the material of which they are built has changed from the rougher-grained sandstone to the more compact and finer black stone known as chloritic schist, which dresses down to a much finer surface, and has enabled the sculptors to produce so much of that fine delicate lace-like tracery which characterises the later work. The change in the material was probably conducive to the change in style.
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Lakkuṇḍi, or Lokkiguṇḍi as it was called in olden times, now a small village, lies about seven miles to the south-east of Gadag in the Dhārwār district. It is full of the ruins of old temples, many of which, with the addition of mud walls, have been converted to other use than that of worship. It will be remembered that Ballaḷa II., Hoysaḷa, established himself in A.D. 1191 at Lokkiguṇḍi as his headquarters. It must then have been a place of considerable importance.
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The old Jaina temple, in the west end of the village, is the oldest building here, and is not so very far removed in style from that of Kallēśvara at Kukkanūr. It will have been noticed in the last example, and still more in this, that the blocks, of which they have been built, have diminished in size since the building of the old temples of Paṭṭadakal and Aihoḷe. They have, at Lakkuṇḍi, quite lost that cyclopean character which distinguishes the early buildings. They are yet, however, large and heavy enough to be piled up without any cementing material (Plate LXI).
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The Dravidian roof is still well defined both by its simple square plan and distinct storeys; though the cornices, which have lost the very heavy character of the earlier temples, are broken up into smaller and more elaborately-wrought detail. The corner and central caps have also lost their greater prominence, and are merged in the general lines of small projections and recesses.
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The elevation is not unlike that of the Jaina temple at Paṭṭadakal (see Plate LXIII), but here we have the outer wall, around the shrine, which, in that, was left unbuilt. The upper chamber raises the tower considerably above the substructure, and thus imparts a certain amount of dignity to the building. The crowning member in this is better proportioned than in Kallēśvara at Kukkanūr, and, with the rest of the tower, forms a more elegant outline.
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The walls have rather more ornamental detail upon them. The *kīrtimukha* mask is introduced above all the little arched niches, but it seldom occurs on the earlier buildings.
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Fig. 25.—Griffin from the Jaina temple, Lakkuṇḍi.
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In each of these little circular niches above the cornice, is a seated Jina. The walls are pilastered, and some of the spaces between the pilasters are decorated with little pavilions in relief as on Kallēśvara at Kukkanūr; while, between these again,another ornament has been introduced. It is a single pilaster or elongated pedestal surmounted by a miniature tower, which is overarched by a cusped scroll, resting, on either side, upon a little corner pilaster, and flowing from the jaws of a *kīrtimukha* at the top into those of *makaras* below.
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The general plan of the temple is simple, and it has few offsets (Plate LXII). In comparing this with that of Kallēśvara it will be seen that they are almost identical in size and arrangement, the principal difference being that this temple has a forward open hall which may or may not be original. It faces the east. A curious coincidence is that in this temple a well-carved loose image of Brahmā occupies the very same position as a similar image does in the other.
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The interior is very plain. Seated upon his *siṃhāsana*, or lion throne, was an image of Mahāvīra with his cognizance, the lion, in the central panel on the face of the throne, but this was smashed and thrown outside by *badmāshes* a few years ago. This figure is 4 feet 4 inches high, as seated, and is carved in black stone which has been carefully polished. The top of the head is covered with small curls; and, on either side from behind the ears, depends a large curl that lies upon each shoulder like a military shoulder knot. Round the neck and chest are two lines indicating necklets or the edges of a garment (Plate LXIII). Upon either side of the Jina is an attendant, each holding in his outer hand a *chauri* or fly brush, and in the inner a fruit resembling a citron or cocoanut. Upon the block above the shrine door is a Jina; over the antechamber is Gaja-Lakṣmī, and over the outer door is a Jina.
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The image of Brahmā, already mentioned, stands in the inner hall, and is a particularly fine figure, being second only, in point of workmanship, to that of Sarasvati at Gadag (see Fig. 3). In a corresponding position to this, on the other side of the entrance to the antechamber, was an image of Sarasvatī. The pedestal remains in its place, but the image had been thrown down when the temple was lying in disuse, and, some years ago, was lying in the hall at some distance from it. She is represented with four arms. In her right upper hand is an elephant goad or *aṅkuśa*. The right lower rests open, palm upwards, upon her knee, with a small petalled flower upon it. In the left upper hand she holds a folded book, while the left lower holds a citron. These two images do not appear to have been carved by the same hand, Sarasvatī's image being a clumsy fat-limbed figure.
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The ceilings are plain, a small rosette in the centre being their only ornament. The pillars are almost as fully decorated as they are in the temple of Kāśiviśvēśvara at Lakkuṇḍi.
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On a pilaster, on the north side of the doorway of the inner *maṇḍapa*, is an inscription dated in S. 1094 (A.D. 1172), surmounted by a seated Jina with the sun and moon above, and a bent sword.
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When we first visited this temple it was deserted and in disuse. The interior was in a filthy condition and deep in bat's dung, the stench from which was unbearable. Since then, however, it has been again taken possession of by the Jains, who have trailed their horrid plaster all over the building, and have "pointed" the masonry of the exterior as only native *maistris* love to see it. It has quite ruined the appearance of the building. As a result of its re-occupation it is closed to the inspection of the stranger.
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Close beside it on the north is another, rather smaller, which is also a Jaina temple. Within it is the same Jina and throne as in the other, but the image has not the same long curls. Over the shrine door is a seated Jina with attendant *chauri* bearers. All the mouldings, niches and facets for decorative detail are left in plain block for carving, thus showing that the usual custom was to carve all detail after the building was up.
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About forty yards in front of this is another old Jaina temple which is used by the Liṅgāyats.
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In the north-west corner of the village is yet another old Jaina shrine which is used by the villagers as a *nāga* or snake temple. It was originally dedicated to Pārśvanātha, whose throne and snake canopy alone remain, and it is this snake that the villagers ignorantly worship. Over the shrine door is Pārśvanātha with his snake hood over him, but over the outer door is Gaja-Lakṣmī. It is now known as the temple of Nāganātha. In a little arched niche on the back of the temple roof is an image of Pārśvanātha with the hooded serpent over him, the latter being a copy of the serpent in the shrine (Plate LXXIII).