Panchakuta Basadi (or Panchakoota
Basadi
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings ge ...
) is a temple complex located in the Kambadahalli village of the
Mandya district
Mandya District is an administrative district of Karnataka, India. The district is bordered on the south by Mysore district, Mysore and Chamarajanagar district, Chamarajangar districts, on the west by Hassan District, on the north by Tumkur Di ...
,
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
state, in southwestern
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. It is one of the finest examples of South Indian
Dravidian architecture
Dravidian architecture, or the South Indian temple style, is an architectural idiom in Hindu temple architecture that emerged from South India, reaching its final form by the sixteenth century. It is seen in Hindu temples, and the most distinc ...
of the
Western Ganga variety, related to the
Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
faith and iconography.
[Sarma (1992), p. 152][ Archaeological Survey of India, Bangalore circle, Mandya district]
History
According to the historian K.R. Srinivasan, the temple complex, which was built by the kings of the Western Ganga Dynasty is assignable to the period 900–1000 CE. The historian
I. K. Sarma
Inguva Kartikeya Sarma (15 October 1937 – 29 November 2013) was an Indian archaeologist and a director of the Salar Jung Museum.
Education and career
I. K. Sarma was born in the village of Pallipadu in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh ...
however assigns an earlier date of 8th century, based on traces of early
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as fe ...
-
Pandya and
Chalukya
The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...
-
Pallava
The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as fe ...
influences.
[Sarma (1992), p. 161] Kambadahalli (whose name in the
Kannada
Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...
language literally translates to "village with pillar") which is located 18 km from the famous
Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
heritage town of
Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage des ...
, on the Mandya-Shravanabelagola highway, gets its name from the ''Brahmadeva'' pillar (''Manasthambha'') erected in front of the temple complex.
From inscriptions, it is known that the temple complex has been renovated during later centuries, including the during the rule of the
Hoysala Empire
The Hoysala Empire was a Kannada people, Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka, India, Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially loca ...
.
The monument is protected by the
Archaeological Survey of India
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is an Indian government agency that is responsible for archaeological research and the conservation and preservation of cultural historical monuments in the country. It was founded in 1861 by Alexande ...
as a "national monument". Srinivasan describes it as a "landmark in South India architecture".
Architecture
![A mantapa (hall) in Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/A_mantapa_%28hall%29_in_Panchakuta_Basadi_at_Kambadahalli.JPG)
The temple was built in two phases. In the first phase, three shrines were constructed (''trikutachala'', three shrines each with a superstructure). The central shrine faces north, one shrine faces west and the other face east. The central shrine has a square superstructure (''
Shikhara
''Shikhara'' (IAST: '), a Sanskrit word translating literally to "mountain peak", refers to the rising tower in the Hindu temple architecture of North India, and also often used in Jain temples. A ''shikhara'' over the ''garbhagriha'' chamber ...
'') called ''Brahmachhanda girva-shikhara''. The west and east facing shrines have superstructures called the ''Rudrachhanda griva-shikhara'' and ''Vishnuchhanda griva-shikhara'' respectively.
The design of the superstructures speaks of the artistic taste of the builders. They are three-dimensional, with the first tier (''tala'') measuring a third of the total height of the tower, and the second tier measuring one half the height of the first.
Each of the three shrines have individual
vestibules (or half hall or ''ardha
mantapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
'') which open to a large common open hall called the ''mahamantapa'' or ''navaranga'', whose ceiling is supported by four ornate central pillars. At the entrance to the shrines (''bilpitha'') are the guardians to the "eight directions"(''
ashtadikpalaka''; ''ashta'' - "eight", ''dik'' - "directions", ''palaka'' - "keeper") with their consorts and vehicles (''vahana'')
The entire complex is oriented towards the impressive ''Brahmadeva'' pillar and faces north. The main central shrine houses the image of ''
Adhinatha'', the first Jain ''
tirthankara
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a 'ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the ''dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable passag ...
'' (Teaching God). The west (right) and east (left) facing shrines have the images of later day ''tirthankara''s, Shantinatha and Neminatha respectively. The images appear to be of well-polished steatite material and could be later day replacements.
According to Robert J Del Bonto who conducted research at the site, the two shrines that form the later day additions are a twin construction, are lateral (face each other), have individual vestibule and a closed ''mantapa'' (hall) and open into a common open pillared porch (open ''mantapa''). The art critic M.H. Dhaky calls them as "Shantinatha Basadi" and regards them a good example of the "terminal" stage in Western Ganga art.
[Sarma (1992), p. 166] The temple exhibits fine sculptures of Jain ''
Yaksha
The yakshas ( sa, यक्ष ; pi, yakkha, i=yes) are a broad class of nature-spirits, usually benevolent, but sometimes mischievous or capricious, connected with water, fertility, trees, the forest, treasure and wilderness. They appear in ...
s'' (male benevolent spirits) and ''
Yakshi
''Yakshinis'' or ''yakshis'' (यक्षिणी sa, yakṣiṇī or ''yakṣī''; pi, yakkhiṇī or ''yakkhī'') are a class of female nature spirits in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious mythologies that are different from devas and ...
''s (their female counterparts) of the Western Ganga and Hoysala periods.
According to the art critic and historian S. Settar, generally, ''Brahmadeva'' pillars found in front of ancient Jain temples do not house sculptures of the ''Brahma Yaksha'' or the god
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
, rather they find their origins in the ''Manasthambha'' (''
sthambha'' ''lit'', "pillar") and have images of the ''Sarvanubhuti Yaksha''. The base of this pillar is square and exhibits looped garland decorations, and at the top supports a two handed seated image of east facing Siddhayika.
[Sarma (1992), p. 167][Settar in Shah (1987), p. 19] The overall composition of the temple, according to Sarma, is one of "clarity in structure and function" without any emphasis on over decoration.
Gallery
Image:Mantapa (hall) in Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.jpg, ''Mantapa'' (hall), Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
File:A typical Dravidian shrine in the Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.jpg, A typical Dravidian style shrine at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
File:Excavated Jaina sculptures in Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.JPG, Excavated Jain sculptures from the 9th-10th century at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
File:Moulding reliefs depicting horse men in the Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.JPG, Bas-relief depicting horse men at Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
Image:Ceiling sculpture5 in Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.jpg, Ceiling sculpture, Panchakuta
Ceiling relef in Panchakuta Basadi at Kambadahalli.jpg, Tirthankar sculpture on the ceiling, Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli
File:Shree Aadinath bhagwaan,Digmbar Jain Atishay kshtra, Kumbadhalli, Hassan.jpg, A sanctum in the Panchakuta Basadi, Kambadahalli with image of the tirthankar Adinatha
See also
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Jainism in Karnataka
Karnataka, a state in South India has a long association with Jainism, a religion which enjoyed patronage of major historic kingdoms in the state such as the Rastrakuta Dynasty, Western Ganga, Kadamba and Chalukya dynasties and the Hoysala E ...
*
Jainism in north Karnataka
Jainism in North Karnataka flourished under the Chalukyas, Kadamba, Rashtrakutas, and Vijayanagara empire. Imbued with religious feeling, patronage was extended towards the building of Jain temple and it garnered high repute among the people, ...
*
Jainism in Tulu Nadu
The Jain Bunt are the Jainists of Bunt caste from Tulunaad area of India. It has been said that the Jain Bunts also have the highest per capita income in India. They have a feudal and martial race heritages, because of ties to the erstwhile ro ...
*
Shravanabelagola
Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage des ...
Notes
References
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{{Authority control
Jain temples in Karnataka
Western Ganga dynasty
8th-century Jain temples