Ellora Ki Jain Sampada

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Ellora ki Jain Sampada" by Anand Prasad Shrivastava, focusing on the Jain heritage at Ellora:

This document, "Ellora ki Jain Sampada" by Dr. Anand Prakash Shrivastava, delves into the rich Jain artistic and architectural heritage found at Ellora. It highlights that political conditions and the religious and economic standing of rulers have always been key factors in the development of art and architecture. The presence of sculptures of deities from the three major Indian religions – Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Jain – at Ellora is a clear testament to the religious tolerance of the rulers of that era. The text notes the unique artistic confluence where Buddhist caves are adjacent to Brahmanical caves, followed by Jain artistic creations, allowing for comparative study of the strengths and weaknesses of each tradition.

Key Points about Jain Heritage at Ellora:

• Period of Construction: The Jain caves (numbered 30 to 34) were constructed and painted between the 9th and 13th centuries CE, under the supervision of Digambara Jaina adherents.
• Architectural Distinctiveness: Architecturally, these caves differ from the other religious caves at Ellora based on their layout.
• Notable Sculptures: The upper level of the Indrasabha cave features grand statues of Indra and Ambika that are particularly captivating. Additionally, sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras like Parshvanatha, Bahubali Gommateshwara, and Mahavira are considered outstanding.
• Jain Wall Paintings: The Jain wall paintings at Ellora are described as a valuable link in the history of Indian mural art.
• Patrons: Inscriptions in the Indrasabha cave at Ellora indicate that Sohil Brahmachari and Nagavarma commissioned Tirthankara sculptures during the 9th and 10th centuries CE.
• Cave Designations:
  • Cave 30 is locally known as Chota Kailas Mandir.
  • Cave 32 is known as Indrasabha.
  • Cave 33 is known as Jagannath Sabha.
• Artistic Characteristics: The Jain art at Ellora represents the later phase of artistic development. From an iconographic perspective, the Jain caves are distinct from the Buddhist and Brahmanical caves, as well as in terms of their sculptural representations.
• Multi-storied Caves: Indrasabha and Jagannath Sabha are two-storied structures.
• Depiction of Tirthankaras: The caves prominently feature the supreme Jain deities, the Tirthankaras (or Jinas). Out of the 24 Tirthankaras, Adhinath (the first), Shantinath (the 16th), Parshvanatha (the 23rd), and Mahavira (the 24th) have the most numerous representations. Several sculptures of Bahubali Gommateshwara, son of Rishabhanatha, are also present. The text notes that Gommateshwara sculptures were particularly popular in South India, and Ellora boasts the largest number of these.
• Collective Depictions: Collective representations of all 24 Tirthankaras are also engraved. Sculptures of Parshvanatha, distinguished by his seven-hooded serpent canopy, were the most popular among the Jinas.
• Iconographic Details: Jain sculptures at Ellora include depictions of pratiharyas (auspicious emblems), such as umbrellas, thrones, and halos, as well as lanchans (symbols), devotees, and shasan devatas (guardian deities).
• Architectural Complexity: Indrasabha and Jagannath Sabha are particularly noteworthy. However, the auxiliary elements of these temples are densely adorned with elaborate decorative details, leading to a sense of visual overload for the observer. For example, the flagstaff in the courtyard of Indrasabha is placed too close to the temple entrance and central hall, creating a cluttered and compressed appearance. This effect is further amplified by the small dimensions of the courtyard and the relatively small size of the pillars in some of the adjoining chambers. These peculiarities suggest a lack of proportion in the temple's composition, although the architectural details themselves reveal considerable effort and skill. In such instances, art becomes mere craftsmanship, where the creative impulse is replaced by a lifeless attempt at creating an impact.
• Four Notable Characteristics of Jain Caves:
  1. Group Plan: Some of the temples are designed as temple complexes.
  2. Pillar Styles: A commendable effort towards synthesis is evident in the use of styles like ghatpallava and paryankashaili in the pillars.
  3. Lack of Evolutionary Link: Unlike the preceding Buddhist and Brahmanical caves, these Jain caves do not exhibit a developmental continuum. Since the Buddhist and Brahmanical caves were completed before the Jain arrival at Ellora, the Jain artists drew inspiration from both, depending on the available resources, convenience, and time.
  4. Absence of Monastic Quarters: The Jain caves do not feature arrangements for monks, which aligns them more closely with Brahmanical temples.
• Royal Patronage: The construction of the Jain caves at Ellora primarily took place during the reign of the Rashtrakuta rulers.
• Sculptural Realism: The Jain sculptures at Ellora are generally carved in a highly refined manner. Sculptures of Tirthankaras, Gommateshwara-Bahubali, and Yaksha-Yakshinis are found here.
• Iconographic Variations: The practice of inscribing the Shrivatsa symbol on Tirthankara sculptures, common in North India, was not prevalent in the Jain sculptures at Ellora. This symbol is also absent in the contemporary Jain sculptures of the Eastern Chalukyas. Furthermore, not all of the eight Mahapratiharyas (great auspicious emblems) are depicted; only the triple umbrella, ashoka tree, throne, halo, fly-whisk-bearing attendants, and garland-bearers are regularly represented.
• Guardian Deities: Among the shasan devatas, Kubera or Sarvanubhuti Yaksha, and Chakreshvari, Ambika, and Siddhayika Yakshinis were the most popular. They are regularly depicted on the throne margins alongside the Jinas.

The text concludes by noting that a comprehensive study of the period up to the 13th century CE still requires further research. It also references suggestions from Professor Krishnadatta Vajpeyi.