The 'Nagabandha' and the 'Pancanga Vira' Ceiling

Summary

M.A. Dhaky’s study ‘The Nagabandha and the Pancāṅga Vīra Ceiling’ focuses on two remarkable ceiling designs found in Western Indian Jaina temples from the fifteenth century. In earlier works on Gujarati temple ceilings, Dhaky and collaborator J.M. Nanavati catalogued various forms but could not devote space to the iconography of these two types because textual sources were sparsefile:///home/oai/share/520754-212-427.pdf#:~:text=%27rmina,the%20enumeration%20of%20these%2020. Here Dhaky revisits them, drawing on epigraphy, architectural manuals and field observation. The Nagabandha ceiling depicts the myth of Kṛṣṇa subduing the serpent Kāliya; at the centre is Kṛṣṇa dancing on the serpent’s multiple heads while naga maidens worship him, surrounded by concentric bands of motifs. Dhaky interprets the scene as symbolising the triumph of virtue over passion and notes its popularity in Jain as well as Hindu contexts. The Pancāṅga Vīra ceiling portrays a human figure with five bodies emerging from a single torso and head. Dhaky links this motif to Jain cosmology or tantric depictions of five‑fold heroes representing protective deities and examines sculptural parallels. Both ceiling types reflect a fusion of Jain religious themes with broader Indian mythological motifs. Dhaky analyses the artistic style and attributes the works to master craftsmen of the Solanki tradition. He explores the socio‑religious context, suggesting that merchant patrons commissioned these ceilings to display piety and wealth. The article underscores the value of interdisciplinary research combining art history, theology and architecture.