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The
smallest basadi on the Chandragiri, which originally consisted of
three cells standing in a line and opening into a narrow passage is
the Chandragupta basadi. It faces south. The cells on either side
have small towers over them resembling the chole type. To this was
subsequently added an ornamental doorway in front with perforated
stone screens at the sides. The doorway consisting of five fascias
of elegant workmanship is beautifully executed. The screens are
pierced with square openings are are carved with minute sculptures,
interpreted, in the light of Jaina tradition, as the scenes from the
lives of the Srutakevali Bhadrabahu and the Maurya Emperor
Chandragupta. Some irregularity is observed in the alternate rows of
the eastern screens owing to some misplacement at some time. By by
replacing the topmost stone at the bottom and the bottom one at the
top the rows regularity correspond with those of the western screen.
The middle cell of this temple has thef igure of Parshwanatha, the
one to the right the figure of Padmavathi and the one to the left
the figure of Kushmandini, all in a seated posture. In the verandah
there are standing figures of Dharanendra yaksha at the right end
and Sarvahna yaksha at the left. The temple now opens into the front
hall which also forms the entrance to the Kattale basadi. In this
hall stands a figure of Kshetrapala opposite to the middle cell of
the Chandragupta basadi. The outer walls are decorated with
pilasters, friezes, niches, the heads and trunks of lions mostly in
pairs facing each other. Tradition says that this temple was caused
to be erected by the Maurya emperor Chandragupta. The label dasoja
occurring on one of the screens is undoubtedly the name of the
sculptor who made the screens and the doorway. He is very probably
identical with the sculptor who carved some of the fine bracket
images of the Chennakasava temple at Belur and therefore the period
of the screens and the doorway would be ablut the middle of the 12th
century A.D. The other parts of the building are some of the oldest
on the hill, probably going back to the ninth or tenth century A.D.
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