View of intricately carved details of a medallion, of the shikhara (superstructure) of the Suswani Mata Temple, which is at the bottom of the shikhara. The design is composed of the gavaksha (dormer window) designs and diamond motifs.
The Shikhara (superstructure) of the Adinatha Temple is built in the Nagara style, albeit an abbreviated one. The mulshringa of the shikhara has a pratyangas or prati shikharas emanating from it. These are complemented by miniature shikharas at the base of the main shikhara. The shikhara is painted in white and the ornamentation details are defined with gold paint. The base of the cardinal faces of the shikhara has deep empty niches, similar to the shikhara of the Bhandasar Temple.
The Adinatha or Rishabnatha Temple in the Bhandasar Temple Complex. It is a subsidiary shrine situated to the south of the complex. It is relatively smaller in size than the Bhandasar Temple. The temple is not austere in treatment. It is a simple structure with planned walls and one entrance facing the east.
This painting in the inner/upper circle in the ceiling of the mandapa (pillared hall) depicts the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parshvanath, standing on a multi-headed naga (serpant), with the hood crown positioned above the head of the lord. A naga couple in anthropomorphic form stands flanking the Tirthankara and bows down to him. Parshvanath wears a crown and is adorned with jewellery. There are two gandharvas (celestial beings) in the sky above him. The inscription reads, ‘Parasnath Shvami.’
The thirteenth oval painting (in clockwise order) in the lower/outer circle in the ceiling of the mandapa (pillared hall) is the episode from Jinadatta Suri's life that took place in Ajmer. Once, an ominous stroke of lightning in the evening threatened the fellow monks and followers of Dada Jin Dutt Suri while they were performing pratikraman with him. Dada Jin Dutt Suri captured the lightning under his alms bowl and instructed everyone to continue with the pratikraman without fear. Lightning is shown as yellow strokes in the sky that the acharya (those who impart knowledge) collected in the bowl. Jinadatta Suri is shown sitting on a mat. The inscription reads, ‘shri jinadatta suri ji Bijali dabi.’
The ninth oval painting (in clockwise order) in the lower/outer circle in the ceiling of the mandapa (pillared hall) is difficult to decipher. It appears to depict a sleeping couple, with a snake near the leg of the man. Outside the haveli (mansion) which houses this couple, there is an armed figure that looks like a soldier or guard in uniform.
Seen here is the jangha (wall) of the Suswani Mata Temple facing South. On the bhadra (central offset) is an in situ sculpture of Ganesha, framed in deep decorative niches. This image is flanked by two attendants on the intermediary projections and dikapalas (gods of the cardinal directions) on the corner projections of the wall. The devakosthas (niches) on the central and corner projections have small vyala (mythical composite figures) on the brackets.
The two pillars seen here belong to the original construction of the Suswani Mata Temple. The pillars have fluted shafts, at the centre are ghatapallava (vase with foliage) shaped components and the pillar capitals are shaped like a pot. The paint layers on the surface of the pillars make it difficult to understand the original form.
A side shrine of the Bhomiya Maharaja on the premises of the Suswani Mata Temple next to the sacred Kera tree. The Kera tree is believed to be the spot where Suswani Ma manifested herself and eventually stayed at the location of the present-day temple.
Ganesha sculpture in the devakoshtha (niche) on the bhadra (principal or central projection) of the south-facing wall of Suswani Mata Temple. Framed in a niche composed of two pilaster motifs surmounted by a pediment of gavasksha (dormer window) designs, the main Ganesha image is supported by another small Ganesha in a small frame right above its head. It is a seated, eight-handed image of Ganesha. Some of the visible attributes of the image are pasha (noose), ankush (bullhook), sarpa (serpent), bijapuraka (citron, symbolized as ‘seed of universe’).