View of the east-facing mandapa (pillared hall) of the Bhandasar Temple. The mandapa has eight main pillars that support the central dome. Beyond this intercolumniation lies the main garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) which enshrines Sumatinatha Tirthankara. All the wall and pillar surfaces are painted.
View of the Bhandasar Jain Temple as seen from the northeast corner of the complex. Built in the shekhari style of temple, the temple has an imposing shekhari shikhara (multi-spired superstructure). The plan of the temple consists of a garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum), mandapa (pillared hall) and a mukhamandapa (front porch). Domes roof the mandapa and shekhari shikhara is atop the garbhagriha.
Seen here are the pilaster and bracket details of the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) entrance. The inner face of the pilaster has a painting of a doorkeeper, and the original surface, probably in stone, is covered entirely in meenakari (enamel) goldwork. The lalatbimba (lintel) has a figure of Jain Tirthankara. The use of gold embossing on the doorway is remarkable. It sets apart the garbhagriha from other parts of the temple interior.
The enshrined image of Sumatinath, the fifth Jain Tirthankara. The sarvatobhadra (open from all four cardinal sides) sculpture of Sumatinath is placed on a high pedestal. The sculpture sits on a low platform which has a motif of a Krauncha (bird), which is lanchan (emblem) of the Tirthankara carved at the centre. The pedestal of the sculpture is adorned with gold embossing meenakari (enamel) artwork. On the front side of this pedestal is another sculpture, probably of another Tirthankara. The enshrined object is under a canopy supported by four pillars. All the sculptures are made of marble with ornamentation in red and gold colour. There are also some small portable sculptures of Tirthankara in the garbhagriha, probably donated as votive images.
Closer view of the arches in the mandapa (pillared hall) of the Adinatha Temple. The multi-colour arches have cartouche designs on the flanking pillars and the beams above the archway. The beams also have iron round rings. These might be used to attach temporary curtains or dividers.
A verse is written in Devanagari script above the lalatbimba (lintel) of garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) entrance to the Parshvanath shrine, in the Adinatha Temple.
The main doorway that leads to the Bhandasar Temple is decked with various paintings. The pillars are painted white while the Bengal arch roof is painted blue. There is a painting of a Jain Tirthankara on the rectangular slab above the doorway.
View of the entire elevation of the Bhandasar Temple from the southwest corner of the complex. The temple proper is painted in bi-chrome, red ochre and white, but the shikhara (superstructure) of the temple is only in white. The plinth of the temple looks like it was built in brick. However, the entire structural core is built in stone. The base of the shikhara has balconies on two terrace levels of the temple. These can be accessed from inside the temple. It is said that one can see the entire Bikaner city from these balconies.
This is the main entrance to the Bhandasar Temple. The staircase leads to a porch of the temple through which one enters the main temple. Though the temple has a staircase flanking the main entrance, this entrance seen in the picture is the principal ingress to the temple. Only the pillars of the front porch are painted in white and decorated in floral motifs.
Details of the pillars, pilaster and the small strip of wall flanking the principal entrance of the Bhandasar Temple. The small vertical wall space, flanking the entrance, depicts paintings of doorkeepers.