Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/46

JAINA ARCHITECTURE. BOOK V. walls is treated in a way suggesting direct descent from the Mamallapuram pagodas. To provide an upper shrine, which is a feature in most of the larger Jaina temples, the first storey of the tower had to be made a distinct feature, and with a projecting front or entrance. This temple has an outer open hallormandapa, having extensions on each side, with an inner hall about 2oJ ft. square inside, and a door on the south side as well as the entrance from the open mandap. It is difficult from a photograph alone to fix its age, but probably it belongs to the earlier half or middle of the loth century. PALITANA. The grouping together of their temples into what may be called " Cities of Temples " is a peculiarity which the Jains have practised to a greater extent than the followers of any other religion in India. The Buddhists grouped their stupas and viharas near and around 276. Lakkundi Jaina Temple, sacred spots, as at Sanchi, Manikyala, (From l,atby S Mr H^ousen,) or in Peshawar, and elsewhere; but they were scattered, and each was supposed to have a special meaning, or to mark some sacred spot. The Hindus also grouped their temples, as at Bhuvane^war or Benares, in great numbers together ; but in all cases, so far as we know, because these were the centres of a population who believed in the gods to whom the temples were dedicated, and wanted them for the purposes of their worship. Neither of these religions, however, possess such a group of temples, for instance, as that at 5atrunjaya, or Palitana as it is usually called from the neighbouring town, in Gujarat, about 35 miles from Gogha and Bhaunagar, on its eastern coast (Woodcut No. 277). It is sacred to Rishabhanath, the first of the twenty-four Jaina Tirthankaras, and covers the two summits of the 5atrun- jaya hill, each about 360 yards long, with the depression between them. They are grouped in separate enclosures called Tuks, surrounded by high battlemented walls, each having at least one principal temple with varying numbers of smaller ones