Kundalpur

Kundalpur, thirty-five kilometres north-east of Damoh, with about sixty temples, ranging from plain, flat-roofed shrines built in the eighth/ninth century to widely scattered temples of later dates, is one of the earliest and largest places of Jaina pilgrimage in Central India Public buses run between the district city of Damoh and Kundalpur during daylight hours.

The main temples are closed from midday to about four in the afternoon. A well-kept dharmashala provides lodging for pilgrims and visitors who like to linger on in this oasis of natural beauty and religus art and architecture. Illustration 177 (above) shows the group of temples closest to the gate.

Layout of the Kundalpur temples as seen by an artist.

The seated Jina in illustration 179 (overleaf), having the emblem of a horse, is an image of Sambhava- natha. At some unknown date, the slightly damaged nose led to its removal from the sanctum of a temple. That is Jaina tradition. The two Jinas flanking Sambhavanatha seem to be later additions, chosen for the purpose of obtaining a customary tri-murtika (panel of three Jinas).