CHAPTER - IV

BUDDHIST & JAIN MONUMENTS

 CHAPTER - IV

BUDDHIST & JAIN MONUMENTS

Buddhism and Jainism are had emerged as revolutionary

religions opposing the Vedic religion. Thanks to Gaudhama Buddha

and Varthamana Mahavira, these two religions emerged and

established a strong hold in north India. Due to the royal patronage

given by Asoka and Chandragupta Maurya, these two ideologies spread

in far off places.1

As far as ancient Tamilagam was concerned, these two

religions would have spread in the soil during the post Sangam period.

The Kalabhras extended a helping hand for the spread of these two

religions in this part of the country.2 Gradually Jainism established a

strong hold in Tamilagam comparing with Buddhism.

Due to the Pallava and Pandya royal patronage, Jainism

spread in the entire Tamil country. A number of Jain pallis, and Jain

centres emerged. Kanchipuram, Madurai and Kazhugumalai became

the strong centres of Jainism.3 There are a number of, sculptures,

Pallis (dwelling places of Jain and Buddhist monks) and some Brahmi

inscriptions are available in Tamil Nadu region pertaining to this period

and beyond.

________________________

1. Rosmila Thapar, History of India, London, pp. 120-125.

2. K.A.Nilakanta Sastri, History of South India, Madras, pp. 66-69.
3. Kanchipuram in early South Indian History, London, 1969, pp.108-
110.
 203

In the Kanyakumari region, Jainism and Buddhism

established a strong base.4 Places like Kottar, Putheri, Vadasery,

Therur, Mandaikadu, Kurandi, Aralvaimozhi, Chitharal and

Thirunandikkarai became the important centres of these two religions.

Nagaraja temple at Nagercoil was once a Jain Palli and because of the

Travancore royal patronage it was converted into a centre for serpent

worship.5

Kottar, the celebrated town was once a popular Jain

centre. A number of Jain scholars lived in this place.6 Let us discuss

all the important Jain and Buddhist monuments one by one.

The origin and history of Buddhism and Jainism in

Kanyakumari District were brought to light by the Kanyakumari

Historical and Cultural Research Centre, Nagercoil. According to

Dr.S.Padmanabhan, General Secretary of the centre, Pothalaka

(Pothigai hills), Putheri, Therur, Aralvaimozhi, Sakkiyankodu, Kottar,

Esanthanku were the important Buddhist centres and Kottar,

Chitharal, Kurandi and Thirunandikkarai were the important Jain

centres in Kanyakumari District in ancient days.7

________________________

4. V.Nagam Aiya, The Travancore State Manual, Vol.II, Trivandrum, 1906,

pp. 40-45.
5. S. Padmanabhan, Naga Valipaadum Nagarajar Aalayamum, Nagercoil,
1961, pp. 1-5.
6. Ibid.
7. Aaivu Kalanjiam, Monthly Historical Research Journal, Nagercoil,
December 2005, pp. 16-20.
 204

BUDDHIST MONUMENTS

In Kanyakumari District the evidences of Buddhist

monuments are not explicit. There are some hypothetical places where

the scholars claim as Buddhist centres. The feasibility of a Buddhist

temple in these places will be dealt with. They are Esanthanku, Therur,

Kottar, Aralvaimozhi, Mandaikadu , Saakiankodu and Putheri.8

Esanthangu (Srimoolavasam)

Only one inscription has been discovered in the southern

most part of India which makes a direct reference to Buddhism. This is

the copper plate inscription of the Ay king Vikramatiya Varaguna of the

9th century A.D. who ruled South Travancore that is the present

Kanyakumari district. The inscription begins with an invocation to the

Buddha, son of Suddhodana, the Dharma and the Sangha.9 This

inscription brought to light that a Buddhist vihara flourished at

Srimoolavasam and Vikramaditya Varaguna (A.D.885 925) donated

some landed properties to the monastery. Literary references are also

available about Srimoolavasam. Mushikavamsam, a Sanskrit work

describes Srimoolavasam as a reputed centre of Buddhist activities.

________________________

8. Aaivu Kalanjiam, Monthly Historical Research Journal, Nagercoil,

December 2005, pp. 16-20.
9. S. Bhagavathi Perumal, Buddhist centres of Kanyakumari District, Radio
Talk on All India Radio, Tuticorin, on 2.02.2002.
 205

The poem refers to a Buddhist vihara at Moolavasam on two occasions.

The first reference is in connection with the protection given to it from

sea erosion. Vikramaditya Varguna built a wall on the seashore and

saved the shrine from the deluge of the waves. The next reference is in

connection with the visit of King Vallabha who on returning from an

unsuccessful expedition entered the shrine and worshipped the idol of

Buddha.10

The fact that an idol of Avalokitha otherwise known as

Lokanatha was discovered in Gandhara bearing the superscription

"Dakshinapatha Moolavasa Lokanatha" further strengthen the view that

Srimoolavasam was a reputed centre of Buddhism.11 The belief is that

Vajrabodhi (661 730 .D) of Malainadu (Pallava Country) with his

disciples carried the image of Avalokitha from Srimoolavasam to

Gandhara on his way to China also and Japan. It is also believed that

Vajrabodhi who preached Tantric Buddhism in China also taught the

Buddhists the martial art of Kanyakumari named Adimurai which

might have become Karate and Kung Fu nowadays.12

Most of the historians of Kerala are of the opinion that the

famous Buddhist centre Srimoolavasam was a village on the coastal

________________________

10. The Travancore Archaeological Series, Vol.I, pp. 275-276.

11. S. Padmanabhan, From Kalari to Karate, article written in Indian
Express, English daily, Madurai dated 15.07.1989.
12. Ibid.
 206

area of the modern Ambalapuzha or old Quilon, a portion of which was

submerged in the sea. But evidence has come to light that

Srimoolavasam is the coastal village Esanthanku in the present

Kanyakumari district. If the Sanskrit word Srimoolavasam is

translated into Tamil it will become Esanthanku which means the

abode of God. How the word Thothathri became Vanamamalai,

Ajagajapuram became Tiruvadanai, Vedaranyam became

Tirumaraikkadu and Srivisalapuram became Tirupparappu,

Sirimoolavasam also became Esanthanku in Tamil.13

Inscriptional evidences said that Esanthanku and the

surrounding areas were ruled by the Ay kings Kokarunandakkan (A.D.

857 885) and later Vikramadiya Varaguna (A.D.885 925).14 There is

an epigraphic evidence to show that Varaguna first embraced

Buddhism and later Jainism. Even now the people of Esanthanku say

that a portion of their village was washed away by the sea and the

portion is now called by the local people as Aayiramkaal Pozhi

Mugham15 which denotes that a thousand pillared edifice was once

there and it might be the world renowned Buddhist vihara. Looking at

these points of view it can be reconstructed that the great Buddhist

________________________

13. Personal interview with Dr. D. Velappan, Veteran Tamil Scholar, aged
81, Eraviputhur dated 13.8.2012.
14. N.Subramanian, History of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, 1980, pp. 125-127.
15. Personally visited, discussed with the local people and understood.
 207

monastery at Esanthanku ie Srimoolavasam might have been

swallowed by the sea.

Therur

Therur is a village situated three kms from Suchindrum,16

the abode of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. In the inscriptions found in

Therur, the village is refered to as Theranur which means the place of

Buddhists especially those who belonged to the Theravada school of

Buddhism. The beautiful stone images of Avalokitha and his consort

Tara devi are found in a temple locally known as Elaya Nainar Koil.17

The annual festival of the temple is conducted by the village people on

the full moon day of the Tamil month of Chithirai (April May), which

is the birthday and also the day of Nirnana of the Buddha. On that day

the devotees cook and take only vegetable food.18 Perhaps this is an

impact of Buddhism. It is learnt that even in 1919 a group of Buddhist

monks from Srilanka visited this temple to worship the deities.

Recently a Japanese scholar Dr. Shu Hikosaka came to Therur and

identified the images of Avalokitha and Tara devi.19

________________________

16. M. Gopalakrishnan, Kanyakumari District Gazetteer, Madras, 1995, pp.

625-628.
17. A.K. Perumal, Kavimaniyin Katturaihal, Nagercoil, 2004, pp. 18-20.
18. Personal interview with O. Bala Subramanian, aged 60, Reporter,
Dinamalar, Tamil Daily, Therur dated 30.3.2012.
19. Ibid.
 208

Aralvaimozhi

It is a matter of interest to note that in the temple of

Meenakshi Sundareswarar at Aralvaimozhi the presiding deity is

Sastha. Amarakosa tells us that Sastha is a name attributed to Lord

Buddha. Like Buddhists, the Jains also worship Sastha. But the

vehicle of Sastha worshipped by Buddhists' is horse whereas of the

Jains' is elephant.20 In Aralvaimozhi the vehicle of Sastha is the

rotating horse which resembles the rotating Dharma Chakra of the

Buddhists. According to the Buddhist principle turning the wheel of

Dharma Chakra represents turning the royal chariot wheel of a

universal empire of truth and righteousness. The annual festival

locally known as "Thampiran Vilayattu" with rotating horse is like the

festivals of Buddhists held in China and Japan.21 Similar festival is

also celebrated at Putheri and Erachakulam in Kanyakumari district

which are also believed to be certres of Buddhism once.

Kottar

The old name of Nagercoil was Kottar. At Kottar both

Jainism and Buddhism flourished in ancient days.22 Thirugnana-

sambandar a Saiva saint of the 7th century A.D. ridiculed the Jain and

________________________

20. Mayilai Seeni Venkatachamy, Jainism and Tamil, Madras, 1962,

pp.19-22.
21. Personal interview with Dr. S. Padmanabhan, aged 82, Senior
Journalist, Nagercoil on 9.9.2012.
22. S. Sadasivam, Cheranadum Senthamilum, Nagercoil, 1949, pp. 116-
124.
 209

Buddhist monks who were roaming in the streets of Kottar.23 Hence it

can be inferred that Theravaada Buddhists lived in Kottar and the

nearby village Therur.24 The southern gateway of the Nagaraja temple

at Nagercoil known as Mahamerumaligai is like the entrance of a

Buddhist vihara.

Putheri

Putheri is a village very near to Nagercoil town. The village

and the adjoining tank bear the name of Lord Buddha. It is interesting

to note that at a time when sheep and hens were sacrificed to the

village deity Maadan in all the petty Gods, only vegetable foods were

offered to him in the village of Putheri. It was perhaps the impact of

Buddhism on the village people. Mayilai Seeni Venkatachamy, a Tamil

scholar has identified a Hindu temple which was once a Buddhist

chaitya at Putheri.25

Mandaikadu

There is a belief that a Buddhist nun of Quilon in Kerala

known as "Kollathu Ammachi"26 came to the coastal village Mandaikadu

________________________

23. Aaivu Kalanjiam, Monthly Historical Research Journal, Nagercoil, April

2004, pp. 18-20.
24. Ibid.
25. Mayilai Seeni Venkatachamy, Buddhism and Tamil, Madras, 1962,
pp.28-30.
26. G.T.Vikraman Thambi and S. Chenbahaperumal, Varalaatil
Mandaikadu (Tamil), Nagercoil, 1980, pp. 1-3.
 210

of Kanyakumari District and attained Nirvana near the famous temple

to Bagavathy. On the basis of this belief, thousands of devotees from

Quilon and the surrounding regions are used to undertake pilgrimage

on foot, carrying yellow coloured flags in their hands and uttering the

slogans" "Devi Saranam, and Mandaikattu Amme Saranam"27. The term

Saranam itself is an important mantra of the Buddhists. The three

jewels (Triratnas) of Buddhism are Buddham, Dharmam and Sangham.

The slogans Buddham Saranam Kachami, Dharmam Saranam Kachami

and Sangham Karanam Kachami are noteworthy in Buddhism.28 It is

interesting to note that an image of Buddha has been found under the

papal tree in the outer prakara of the temple of Bhagavathy at

Mandaikadu .29

Sakkiyankodu

There is a place called Sakkiankodu near Mandaikadu. It

is well known that Buddha is also known as Sakkiamuni. The temple

of Vinayaka found at Sakkiankodu was once a Buddhist chaitya, for an

image of Buddha adorns the vimana of the Vinayaka temple.30

________________________

27. Aaivu Kalanjiam, Monthly Historical Research Journal, Nagercoil, April

2004, pp. 30-33.
28. Ibid.
29. Dinamalar, Tamil Daily, Nagercoil, dated 12.3.2013.
30. Ibid.
 211

When the Bakthi cult reached its zenith and the

intelligentsia of the south came under the influence to the Vedantic zeal

of Adi Sankara, Buddhism along with Jainism began to fade away in

this land. When this evangelic wave reached the southern most end, a

through change took place in the religious field. Thus Buddhism once

reigned supreme in Kanyakumari had eclipsed without leaving any

concrete evidence what so ever.

JAIN MONUMENTS

Unlike Buddhism, Jainism established a very strong base

in ancient Tamilagam particularly the southern end of that country.

Eventhough Jain teachings and principles are very tough to follow

comparing with Buddhism, it had penetrated the Tamil country. The

royal houses particularly the rulers and princesses of that period were

ardent followers of Jainism. Kings like Mahendravarma Pallava and

Kunpandya were the staunch supporters of Jainism that resulted the

spread of that religion in a systematic manner. The existence of Jaina

Kanchi, a suburb of Kanchipuram town is a matter of fact confirming

the influence of Jainism. The Pallava, Pandya royal patronage over

Jainism is proved by the existence of Nagamalai Pudukkottai,

Kaluhumalai even now. The Jains of present day Kanyakumari District

are the North Indian Jain traders who had settled here very recently.

These Jain temples belonged to Svethambara sect of Jainism, unlike

the Digambara sect of Jainism that had existed in Tamilnadu.

 212

Monuments found in different parts of Kanyakumari

District testify to the prevalence of Jainism in the olden days. There is

epigraphic evidence to show that there were flourishing Jain

settlements in Kottar, the suburb of Nagercoil town, Kurandi,

Tiruchcharanthumalai now called Chitharal and Thirunandikkarai

which are all in the present district of Kanyakumari. From the Jain

vestiges and inscriptions found in Samanarmalai, Kalugumalai and

Tiruchcharanathumalai in the districts of Madurai, Thoothukudi and

Kanyakumari respectively, we learn that a large number of Jain monks

who were there hailed from the above four places in Kanyakumari

District. The erudite scholars and their disciples from these centres of

learning left votive images cut on the rocks in different centres of Jain

culture.31

Chitaral

Otherwise called as Thirucharanathumalai, Chitaral is

situated about 6.5 kms from Kuzhithurai, a suburb of Marthandam,

the second largest town in Kanyakumari district.32 In that hilly track,

one Bhagavathi temple is seen in which there are three sanctum

sanctorums. A sixteen legged Mandapa and a Muha mandapa are also

seen there. In the northern side of the temple, Madapalli is seen.

________________________

31. Travancore Archaeological Series, Vol.II, pp. 125-127.

32. M.Gopalakrishnan, op.cit., pp. 630-633.
 213

Unlike the remaining edifices the central sanctum has been built with

bricks and lime.33

The temple and the huge rock in the background presents

a striking view. The top of the rock commands a beautiful view of the

jungle-clad hills, the low lying paddy fields, river and the numerous

Palmyra groves.34 The sun set seen from the temple porch is a pleasant

sight indeed.

Located amidst picturesque surroundings, the monastery

was built beneath a hanging rock. Adjacent to the monastery is the

temple having three rooms in which the statue of Bhagawan Mahavira

in the Padmasana posture is seen. Two lions have been carved into the

peedam of Mahaviras statue. To its left and located beneath the idol of

a dancing snake in the statue of Parasavanathar in the nirvana

posture.35

The statue of Jain Goddess Padmavathy located to the

right side of Mahaviras statue, is worshipped. However, no poojas are

performed for Mahavira and Parsavanathar.

It is said that the monastery served as a palli (educational

centre) where teachings of Jain dharma and the preachings' of the

________________________

33. Aaivu Kalanjiam, op.cit., April 2004, pp. 40-45.

34. S. Padmanabhan, The Forgotten History of the Land's End, Nagercoil,
1971, pp. 11-24.
35. Malaimalar, Evening Tamil daily, Nagercoil dated 25.10.1999.
 214

Thirthankaras were imparted to scholars and students, who were

mainly women called as Kuranthiyar.36

The temple also has images of the 24 Thirthankaras,

carved by sculptors with the assistance of Jain scholars belonged to

Thirunedumparai and Thirunarunkondai two small hamlets situated at

Thanjavur District and Vellore District respectively. The names of

these sculptors are also engraved here. It is believed that the Jain

saints from these two places might have come from the places and

stayed there. The inscriptions of Chitharal cave temple mention the

following Jain saints. They are Achananthi Adigal, Uthananthi Adigal,

Veerananthi Adigal etc. Significantly names of the female saints like

Narayana Kurathiyar, Kunanthangi Kurathiyar are also recorded in it.37

According to inscriptions, King Vikramadita Varaguna

visited the monastery in the ninth century and donated Nanda lamps

and Golden Lotus to the temple.38

A Gopura in a dilapilidated condition is also there in the

hillock. In the northern side we can see the sculptures of 24 Jain

________________________

36. S. Padmanabhan, Temples in Kanyakumari District, Nagercoil, 1970,

pp. 5-10.
37. Personal interview with Dr. S. Padmanabhan, aged 82, Secretary,
Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre, Nagercoil dated
15.04.2012.
38. S. Padmanabhan, Temples in Kanyakumari District, Nagercoil, 1970,
pp. 5-10.
 215

Thirthankaras. In the Padmavathi Sannathi, no statue is available

except a palikal and paavai vilakku (lamp with a lady).

In the sixteen legged mandapa, a number of sculptures are

seen in all the sixteen pillars. Sculptures like lion, fish, linga, monkey,

devil, suran, Thirthankar, Parsvanathar, elephant etc. are seen. In the

central point, Gajalekshmi sculpture has been encarved. The Muha

mandapa has six pillars in which lion, linga, a saint in yoga posture

have been encarved. In front of the sixteen legged Mandapa

Dwarabalakas are seen. As per the inscriptional evidences, upto 10th

century A.D., it was a Jain palli and later due to the successive

Chola and Travancore influence, it was converted into a Bagavathy

temple. We can see the remains of the old monument near the sixteen

pillared mandapa.39

In the southern side of Bagavathy temple, the name of Ay

king Vikramaditya Varaguna has been encarved in an inscription. The

existing sixteen pillared mandapa of Bagavathy temple and the

Madapalli (Kitchen) were constructed in A.D. 1373 (Kollam Era 548),

which has been mentioned in the pillar inscription of sixteen pillared

mandapa. Another inscription belonged to Moolam Thirunal Maharaja

explains the installation of Bagavathy statue and the Mahakum-

pabishega conducted there.40 Now there is no Bagavathy statue in the

mandapa.

________________________

39. A. Sreedhara Menon, A Survey of Kerala History, Kottayam, 1964, pp.

128-130.
40. Ibid.
 216

There was no clear pathway on the hill leading to the

temple, and the opening of a new path was felt necessary to prevent

visitors being misled. Whenever the path passes through a rocky bed,

the rock should be dressed into steps, and in other places, granite step

should be fitted up with masonry backing.

Thanks to the Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural

Research Centre, a cultural festival was organized at Chitharal along

with the Archaeological Department, Government of India on 25th

October 1999 that paved the way for the publicity of this place.41

The Kanykumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre

(KHCRC) has appealed to the Central Government to take steps for

declaring the historical Jain temple and monastery at Chitharal in

Kanyakumari District as a World Heritage Monument.

Thanks to the sincere efforts taken by Mr. Sunil Palival, the

then District Collector and Hon. N. Suresh Rajan, the then Minister for

Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, Rs.53 lakhs were sanctioned for

the promotion of Chitaral as a tourist centre. In this connection, a

pathway to reach the temple, childrens park, 485 metres drainage

facility, granite desks, 5000 litre overhead tank, waiting room at the

________________________

41. Dinamalar, Tamil daily, Nagercoil, dated 26.10.1999.

 217

entrance, and beautiful steps to reach the temple have been

facilitated.42

Tirunandikkarai

It is situated 17 kms from Kuzhithurai on the banks of

river Nanthi. In the northern side of the village, we can see a rock cut

temple in the near by hill.43 It belonged to 8th century A.D. An

inscription of this temple mentions the name of the village as "Sri

Nanthi Mangalam". Another pillar inscription of this temple narrates

the land donation awarded during the region of Rajaraja, the Great.

The nearby village Rajaraja Thennathu Valluvanattu Muttom was

renamed as Mummudi Chola Nallur by Rajaraja, the Great and was

donated to the rock cut temple at Thirunandikkarai.44 In the mandapa

near by sanctum sanctorum, we can see the Chola paintings in a

ruined stage.

Thirunandikkarai, contains an ancient rock-cut cave

temple having an image of Shiva and a structural monument dedicated

to the same God near the rock. There are epigraphical evidences to

show that the rock-cut-cave temple was a Jain one originally upto the

9th century A.D. and it was converted into a Shiva temple by Raja Raja

Chola in the 10th century A.D.

________________________

42. Dinamalar, Tamil Daily, Madurai, dated 22.08.2012.

43. S. Padmanabhan, Temples in Kanyakumari District, Nagercoil, 1970,
pp. 5-10.
44. K.A. Nilakanta Sastri, The C las, Madras, 1955, pp. 215-218.
 218

The rock-cut cave temple at Thirunandikkarai is on the

southern slope of the hill which lies east-west. It consists of a

verandha with supporting pillars, one small chamber containing an

image of linga and a rectangular hall in front of the sanctum

sanctorum. There is an another Shiva temple on the southern side of

the hill at a lower level and this structural temple reflects Kerala style

of art and architecture. The rock-cut cave temple is purely of Jain

origin.

The Travancore Archaeological Department has officially

recorded eleven inscriptions found at Thirunandikkarai. The earliest of

all records is an inscription belonging to the 9th century A.D., The line

Thirunandikkarai Bhadarar Kudutha Bhoomi which means that the

land assigned to the temple at Thirunandikkarai was donated by the

Bhadarar, is clear evidence that the land on which the structural

temple of Shiva stands was obtained from the jain monks. The word

Bhadarar which denotes a Jain monk which is found frequently in the

inscriptions in Thirucharanathumalai and Kalugumalai which

happened to be famous Jain settlements during the 9th century A.D.

The inscription in the rock-cut cave temple at

Thirunandikkarai mentions the name of the Ay king Vikramaditya

Varaguna and his activities. Probably Viranandi Adigal of Melapalli

temple at Thirunarungondai in the Vellore district who engraved a

 219

votive image at Thirucharanathumalai directed the hewing of the rock-

cut cave temple standing at a place nearly 10 km. from

Thirucharananthumalai.45 Because of his stay at this place the river

flowing in front of the hill came to be known as Nandiyar.

Mr.Venkayya, a famous historian confirms that the place has been

named after the river.

The Huzur Office plate which belongs to the eighth regnal

year (A.D.876) of king Varaguna of Ay kingdom adds that a lady

member of the royal family of Ay dynasty named Murugansenthi

embraced Jainism in the esteemed presence of one Jain monk, most

probably Veeranandi Adigal. King Varaguna dedicated her to the holy

feet and donated some lands to the temple in this connection. T.A.

Gopinatha Rao who has edited Travancore Archaeological Series

interpreted the word Thiruvadisaaratha as a marriage function.46 He

said that king Varaguna married Murugansenthi. But Kavimony

Desigavinayagam Pillai, noted Epigraphist and Tamil scholar objected

to it and gave a new meaning. According to him the work

Thiruvadisaartha means dedication of oneself to the Almighty.47

________________________

45. S. Padmanabhan, The Forgotten History of the Land's End, op.cit.,

pp. 20-25.
46. K.V. Krishna Ayyar, A Short History of Kerala, Trivandrum, 1989,
pp. 60-65.
47. S. Vaiyapuri Pillai, Kavimani Desikavinayagam Pillai, Madras, 1967,
pp.60-65.
 220

There is ample evidence to show that Murugansenthi was

offered to the holy feet of Adi Bhagavan by the King Vikramaditya

Varaguna. Among the Jain ladies the ancient custom of devoting

oneself entirely to religious pursuits giving up marriage and family life

exists even today. Jains celebrate this as a grand function which is

called as Deeksha Kalyanam.48 Similarly when Murugansenthi, a

female member of the Royal family of Ay dynasty decided to dedicate

herself to the service of Jain Dharma, the Ay king Vikramaditya

Varaguna offered her at the feet of Adi Bhagavan and some lands were

also assigned to the temple in commemoration of this function.

It is interesting to note that foot-print worship is a common

feature in Jainism even now.49 During his visit to Mount Abu, Sir

Monier Williams writes in his book Buddhism that, Jains are quite

ardent foot print worshippers. Nearly every shrine at the summit

consisted two foot prints of some one of the 24 Tirthankaras (especially

Parsvanath) impressed of a marble altar. Groups of worshippers bowed

down before the shrines and deposited offerings of money, rice, almonds,

raisins and spices on the foot marks. He opinies that Jainism first

introduced foot print worship in India. Practically the worship of foot

print is so closely connected to Jainism that no other religion can claim

________________________

48. Personal interview with Mr. Pradeep Lal, aged 56, President, Nagercoil,
Jain Sangh, Nagercoil on 12.2.2012.
49. Ibid.
 221

the origin of it. There are a number of references to foot print worship

in ancient Tamil literary works of Jain authors. In Tamil Nadu the foot

prints of Gundagundacharya are revered in Ponnur hills and of

Varmana Muni in Jaina Kanchi. In Sravanabelgola the foot prints of

Bhadrabahu and of Chandragupta Maurya have been inscribed and

they are held in high esteem by the pilgrims. In Kanyakumari district

one can see the foot-print worship in Vazhukkamparai near

Suchindrum, Sripaadaparai in the mid-sea at Kanyakumari and

Kurandi near Therur.50

The inscriptions on the eastern wall of the rock-out-cave

temple which belongs to the 18th year of the Chola king Rajaraja I

(A.D.1003) record the grants to the temple for the celebration of a

festival in Aippasi Sathayam, the birthday of the king. It was also

required that a perpetual flame be kept before the image in the name of

the king. This lamp was to be known as Rajaraja Thirunanda Vilakku.

During the period of Rajaraja Chola the cave temple

appears to have passed into the hands of the Hindus. The rock-out-

cave temple owned by the Jains was then converted into a Hindu

shrine. During this period the peedam containing the foot prints was

removed and an image of Shivalinga might be installed in the cave.

Recently Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre has

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50. Aaivu Kalanjiam, op.cit., April 2004, pp. 36-40.

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discovered that the peedam of foot prints in the cave temple which was

enshrined in the cave temple is found on the top of the hill. The Jain

origin of the temple is now so completly forgotten that the people

believe that this cave temple was originally a Hindu place of worship.

The rock out cave temple has a verandah and a big hall.

We can see a number of paintings in this cave temple but those are in

dilapilated condition. Significantly these paintings are looking like

Chithannavasaal paintings.

To summarize, once a Jain monument, it was converted

into a Shiva temple later in which a granite Linga was installed, which

belonged to Pandya period but the Pallava style has been applied to it.

Kurandi Jain Temple

Kurandi is a small village situated near Therur village, have

a distance of 8 kms from Nagercoil. It is a typical Jain centre during

the medieval period. The paddy fields of this region are called as

Pallivayal.51 A number of Jain scholars belonged to this village worked

for the construction of Jain sculptures at Kaluhumalai. In this village

there is a granite temple dedicated to Koraknathar. It is also in a

dilapidated conditions. It is a typical Jain centre in which paada

vazhibaadu (worship of foot print) was very popular till recently.

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51. Personal interview with Mr. K. Raman, aged 65, Kurandi village on
18.2.2013.