A large number of stone inscriptions which are 1000s of years old paint a picture of the prevalence of Jainism (Samanam) in Tamilnadu. These are scattered throughout Tamilnadu. This post will talk about such stone inscriptions, sites they are found and related content.
Madurai:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Alagar malai | 7 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Caves beds, Statue |
Anamalai | 9 | Tamil Brahmi | 1900 – 1800 | Beautiful Caves, Statues and Beds |
Aritappatti | 2 | Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 1000 – 2000 | Caves , Statues and Beds |
Karunkaalakudi | 3 | Tamil Brahmi,Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 2000 | Caves, Statues and Beds |
Chettipudavu | 4 | Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 1100 | . |
Keelakuilakudi | 3 | Tamil Brahmi,Kannadam | 2000 | Ruined Temple(Jinalayam) |
Keelavalvu(Panchpandavar malai) | 4 | Tamil Brahmi | . | . |
Kongar puliyankulam | 4 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Hills |
Kuppalanatham | 1 | Tamil Brahmi,Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 1100 | Hills |
Mankulam malai | 5 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Hills |
Mettupatti(Annamalai) | 5 | Tamil Brahmi | 1100 | Hills |
Pechipallam | 6 | Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 1100 | Hills,Caves and Cave Beds |
Thiruparankundram | 4 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Caves, Beds |
Thiruvathvoor | 2 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Small Hill, Caves, Beds |
Uthamapalayam | 9 | Tamil Vattaezheuthu | 1100 | Thirugunagiri Malai |
Varichiyur | 3 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Caves |
Vikramangalam | 6 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 | Hill Caves and Beds |
To view the pictures of AanaiMalai Inscriptions and Deities,
To view the pictures of Kongarpuliyankulam Inscriptions and Deities,
To view the pictures of SamanarMalai Inscriptions and Deities,
Related Speeches, News Articles on Jain monuments in Madurai:
- A Speech about Jain monuments by Sri.T.S.Sridhar IAS, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Archaeology, Tamilnadu.
- A Speech about Jina palli by Kaviko. Abdur Rahman.
- Articles about “Jain Vestiges” , “Unexploited Vestiges of Jainism” in The Hindu daily.
- An Article about “Jaina treasure trove in Mankulam village” in The Hindu daily.
- An Interview with scholar Iravatham Mahadevan about “Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions”
Kanyakumari:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Chitharal hill (Thirucharanamalai) |
9 |
Tamil vattazheutthu, sanskrit | 1100- 1000 | Jina palli (jain temple)-Ruined stage |
Nagarkoil |
12 |
Tamil Sanskrit | 493 yrs | Parswanathar Statue in lord Siva temple |
To view the pictures of Chitharal Inscriptions and Deities,
Articles on Jain monuments in Kanyakumari:
- Jain Festival in Kumari District
- Buddha and Jaina relics in Kerala
- Chitaral Rock Temple
- Parswanathar Statue
Thoothukudi:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Kazhukumalai | 99 | Vattazhutthu | 1200 – 1100 | Caves,Thirthnkarar statue,Beds |
Perungulam | 1 | Tamil | 100 – 900 | Caves,Thirthnkarar statue,Beds |
Veerasigamani | 2 | Tamil | 1100 – 1000 | Caves,Thirthnkarar statue,Beds |
To view the pictures of KazhukuMalai Inscriptions and Deities,
Articles on Jain monuments in Thoothukudi:
The Jina Images at Kallugumalai
Rock-Cut Jain Sculptures and Inscriptions in Kallugumalai
Sivagangai:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Kunnakudi | 2 | Tamil Brahmi | 1700 – 1600 | Caves |
Erode:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Arachaloor | 3 | Tamil Brahmi | 1700 – 1600 | Caves |
Thingaloor | 3 | Tamil | 950 – | Pushpathanthar Jinalayam(Poomendran temple) |
Vijayamangalam | 8 | Tamil Sanskrit | 1000 – | Jain temple |
Articles on Jain monuments in Erode:
Digambar Jain Temple Complex Vijayamangalam
Coimbatore:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Thirumoorthy malai | 1 | Tamil | 250- | Statues |
Dindukal:
Name of the Village | No. of Stone Inscriptions | Script Type | How old | Type of Site |
Ayyempalayam(Iyar Malai) | 14 | Tamil Vatteluthu | 1300 – 1100 | Caves,Thirthnkarar statue |
Devathoor | 1 | Tamil | 1000 years | – |
Mettupatti(Sithar Malai) | 9 | Tamil Brahmi | 2000 years | – |
Articles on Jain monuments in Dindukal:
A 1000 years old,they still charm Visitors
Kamarajar District:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Erukkan kudi |
1 |
Tamil vattelthu |
|
perumpalli ruined jain temple |
Kovilankulam |
2 |
Tamil |
800 years |
Ampalappaswamy temple (basement only available) |
Pallimadam |
3 |
Tamil vattelethu |
1200 years |
once great jain mon ks lived here |
Articles on Jain monuments in Kamarajar District:
Thirunelveli:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Eruvadi |
3 |
Tamil vatzhuethu |
799 AD |
Caves, beds, caves arts,Aruvalthu pattaraka Jinalayam (now this is not there) |
Irattai pottai pari |
|
|
|
Anthamil Palkunathu Athi, Idar Theerppan ena Arugan,pugal padukiran Great Ajjananthi Munivar arul palittha place |
Kuttralam(pardesipari) |
1 |
Tamil brahmi |
1700- |
caves |
Marukal Talai(pooviludayar malai) |
1 |
Tamil brahmi |
2200- 2100 |
beds |
Sikkikulam malai(Bakavathi koil) |
2 |
Tamil |
1254- |
Niyaparipalap perumpalli (now it is not there) |
Chidambaranar:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscription |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Kazhukumalai |
99 |
vattazhutthu |
1200 – 1100 |
caves,Thirthnkarar statue , beds |
Dharmapuri:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Adhiyaman kottai |
1 |
Tamil |
800 – |
ruined jain temple |
Dharmapuri |
4 |
Kannadam, Sanskrit |
1100- 800 |
ruined jain temple |
Hosur |
1 |
Sanskrit, Tamil |
871 – |
ruined jain temple |
Dhavalam |
1 |
Sanskrit,Kannadam,Telugu |
1200- |
ruined jain temple |
Ramanathapuram:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Anumanthkudi |
1 |
Tamil |
1533- |
Malavanathar Jinalayam |
Ilayankudi |
1 |
Tamil |
|
Forty eight Thousand perumaplli Jinaalyam Bagavathi Nayakkar (inru illai) |
Thanjavour:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Avarani |
1 |
Tamil |
1193- |
Chithirailekap perumpalli(now this is not there) |
kokuoor(kooroor) |
1 |
Tamil |
1120 – |
Kulothunga Chola perumpalli(now this is not there) |
Maruthuvakudi |
1 |
Tamil |
1194 – |
Sivan kovil culvettu – Sethi Kula Manikkaperumpalli Jinalyam Gankarula Sundarapperumpalli Jinalayam Inru illai(Now not exits) |
Pallan kovil |
1 |
Sanskrit,Tamil |
536 AD |
Seppedukal – Thiruparuthikundrathkku Uriya nilangal (Gift Land deed) |
Ponvilanthan patti |
1 |
Tamil |
1200 – |
– |
Senthalai |
1 |
Tamil |
1000 – |
Jianalyam(temple) ruined |
Thirunageswaram |
1 |
Tamil |
907 – |
Miladudaiyar palli(Jinalyam) now not exist |
Thiruchirapalli:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Anbil Pillayar koil |
1 |
Tamil |
– |
Thiruvidaikudiyil – about Amuthamoli perumpalli Jinalyam |
Jumbhukeswaram |
1 |
Tamil |
1233 – |
Amanappalli – about Kaviraja perumpalli |
Pukalur |
10 |
Tamil Brahmi |
1700 – 1800 |
Caves, Sirpangal, Beds |
Arunattar malai |
|
|
|
Seraman’s Arul kodai |
Velayuthampalayam |
|
|
|
Cave Beds |
Sivayam(Kandakppari) |
1 |
Tamil old Letter |
– |
– |
Thrichirapalli near Ujjipillayar kovil |
4 |
Tamil Brahmi,Vattazheluthu,Sanskrit |
1700 – 1800 |
Caves, beds |
Articles on Jain monuments in Thiruchirapalli:
Chengulpet:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Anathamangalam (Jinagiri palli ) |
2 |
Tamil |
400 – |
Sirppangal |
Arasankalani |
1 |
Tamil |
400 – |
– |
Kanchipuram |
1 |
Tamil |
1100 – |
Kamatchi amman koilil |
Karupankundram |
1 |
Tamil Sanskrit |
1200 – |
|
Keerappakkam |
1 |
Tamil Sanskrit |
1100 – |
Desavallapa Jinalayam exited were ruined |
Mankadu |
1 |
Tamil |
800 – |
|
Pudupattu |
1 |
Tamil |
Cholar period |
|
Saravananpedu |
1 |
Tamil |
800 – |
Ruined Jinalayam |
Siruvakkam |
1 |
– |
– |
Sirukaranapperumpalli Jinalayam |
Thiruppandiyur |
3 |
Tamil |
1100 – |
|
Thirupparthikundram |
18 |
Tamil Sanskrit |
900 – |
Pallava, Chola, Vijayanagar king’s Gift is Jinakanchi |
Articles on Jain monuments in Chengulpet:
North Arcot:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Elankadu |
1 |
Tamil |
500 – 400 |
Neminathar statue This statue was brought from Thirumailai (engraved in the base of this) |
Karanthai(Munigiri) |
17 |
Tamil Sanskrit |
1154 – 250 |
Cholar , Vijayanagar dynasty’s gift |
Kilsatthamangalam(Perumal Parai) |
7 |
Tamil |
1300 – 900 |
Jina Alayam (Jain Temple) |
Kunnathur |
1 |
Tamil |
500 – |
Jina Alayam (jain Temple) |
Mamandoor |
1 |
Tamil Brahmi |
1700 1600 |
Hills |
Othalavadi |
3 |
Tamil |
729 – |
Jina alayam |
Panchapandavar Malai(Thiruppan Malai) |
2 |
Tamil |
1220- |
Malai |
Ponnur |
4 |
Tamil |
227- |
Jina alayam |
Puduppadi |
1 |
Tamil |
900- |
IRAVI KULA Manjckka perumpalli Jinalayam(Not exits now) |
Poondi |
1 |
Tamil |
700-600 |
Veera Veera jinalayam |
Chkkaramallur |
1 |
Tamil |
240 – |
|
Chalukkai |
2 |
Tamil |
980 – |
Cholar’s Period |
Seeyamangalam |
2 |
Sanskrit |
1107- |
Malai(hill) |
Thirakoil |
6 |
Tamil |
1000 – |
big mount hill |
Thirumalai |
23 |
Tamil Sanskrit |
1120-1700 |
Mountain Caves temple, Cave’s art painting |
Vallimalai |
5 |
Kannadam, Sanskrit |
975- |
Mountain caves beds, cave painting’s, carved statues |
Vazhuthalankunam |
1 |
Tamil |
700- |
Mountain caves beds, caves |
Vedal |
2 |
Tamil |
1115- |
Caves almost about 900 jain monks lived here |
Velappadi |
2 |
Tamil |
700 – |
Mountain – ruined jina alayam exits, jain monks foot print exits |
Vilappakkam |
|
Tamil |
1050- |
– |
Articles on Jain monuments in North Arcot:
South Arcot:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Agaloor |
2 |
Tamil |
1200 – |
mountain hill samanar important sthalam |
Chola vandipuram |
2 |
Tamil |
1000- |
Komadar, Padmavathi statues, caves, |
Andimalai |
|
|
|
cave beds padmavathi now call as Kali |
Sithamoor |
16 |
Tamil |
888- |
sithamoor koil maniya (gift land) nilangal |
Dadapuram |
1 |
Tamil |
1006- |
Kundavai jinalayam (now ruined) |
Idayalam sithar parai |
3 |
sanskrit, grantham,Tamil |
1900- |
caves |
Jambai |
1 |
Tamil brahami |
1900- |
caves |
Koilyanoor |
1 |
Tamil |
500- |
ruined jinalyam (Nainar devar perumanar koil) |
Madavilakam(Rettanai) |
1 |
Tamil |
1128- |
|
Melkudaloor |
5 |
Tamil |
911- |
Mountain caves, cave beds |
Olagapuram |
1 |
Tamil |
|
Sundara chola perumpalli jinalayam (not exist) |
Olakkur |
1 |
Tamil |
1200- |
|
Pallichandal |
3 |
Tamil |
928- |
Naddar perumaplli jina alayam(not exist) |
Parayanpattu |
1 |
Tamil,Vattezhthu |
1500-1400 |
|
Perumandoor |
3 |
Tamil |
866-1192 |
|
Tindivanam |
1 |
Tamil |
900-800 |
Statue kept in chennai musium (engraved in statue base) |
Thirunathar kunru |
2 |
Tamil Brahmi |
1500-1400 |
57 days until fast to death(sallekanai) |
Gingee Singavaram |
|
|
|
mentioned about fasting of jain monks |
Thiru Narun kondai |
38 |
Tamil |
1100- |
Caves, cave beds,Jinalayam,carved statue 4800 perumpalli exited here. Inscription about perumpalli and jain math are here. |
Thirupalla panthal |
1 |
Tamil |
1471 |
Panaipadi, ponparappu Jinalaym(not exist) |
Thiruvathigai |
1 |
Tamil |
700- |
Thiruvathigai jinalayam |
Thondur |
2 |
Tamil |
1000- |
|
Veedur |
2 |
Tamil |
1200- |
|
Velur |
1 |
Tamil |
|
|
Vilzhukkam |
1 |
Tamil |
|
|
Articles on Jain monuments in South Arcot:
Mahavira bas-relief tells a story
Early Jain Vestiges, Tamil Nadu
Pudukootai:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Ammasamuthiram(Alurittimalai) |
4 |
Tamil |
1216-1238 |
Kudakumalai caves, Aluritimalai Thiruppalli malai alwar jinalayam( not exist) |
Pommai Malai |
1 |
Tamil |
763- |
|
Malaiya koil |
1 |
Tamil |
– |
Caves temple |
Nartha Malai |
2 |
Sanskrit,Krantham,Tamil |
900- |
Paliyili Eswarar caves temple |
Sadaiyappari |
1 |
Tamil |
1217- |
Mountain |
Samanar Thidal(Kayampatti) |
1 |
Tamil |
|
Iynooruvr perumpalli and madam |
Sembathoor |
1 |
Tamil |
1000- |
yadchiyin pedathil ullathu |
Chettipatty |
1 |
Tamil |
1000- |
Samanar kundu big jain temple was there.now ruined |
Sithannavasal |
13 |
Tamil |
2000-1300 |
Hills, caves, beds |
Theni malai(Thenur malai) |
2 |
Tamil, Sanskrit |
1200- |
caves, paints, beds |
Chennai:
Name of the Village |
No. of Stone Inscriptions |
Script Type |
How old |
What is here? |
Santhome |
1 |
Tamil |
800-700 |
Neminathar Jain temple was there and few statue |
Chennai Museum |
4 |
Tamil, Sanskrit,Kannada |
|
culvert (inscreptions) in the statue of museim |
Source of Information:
- Jaina Inscriptions in Tamilnadu, Dr. A. Ekambara Nathan, Dr. C.K. Siva Prakasam
- கல்வெட்டில் சமணம், Dr. A. Ekambara Nathan
- South India History, Prof. Neela Kanta Sastry
- தமிழைச் செம்மொழியாய் வளர்த்த திராவிட திகம்பர சமண தமிழ்த்துறவிகளும்,உலகிற்கு அவர்கள் வ்ழங்கிய அருள்நெறியும். Prof Dr. Kanaka Ajithadoss
pls any jain news my mail add.send.
thankyou.
Hey, really great article. Thanks for your work on this.Keep posting.
Thanks once again.
Thanks Kesavan! Glad you find it interesting. We will try to keep the posts coming..
Dear Sir,
Thaks for putting lot of effeft to gathering all details it is very useful to know jainisom how old in tamilnadu and also up date present possion of tamiljains
Thank you for your kind and encouraging words Mr. Gunasekaran!
Is tamil journal mukkudai from chennai stillavailable
Yes, it is still available..
My joy knows no bounds while looking this site.
by some how I came to this site, wow! I become speechless,
I want to know who put on this site?
if possible add the photos of those places which makes more interesting.
i felt ashamed that i did’t know about this site till date.
please reply.
Very happy to hear that you found this site useful, Mr. Appandairajan.. Who created the site is not very important, the contents themselves are :).. We are working to add photos and articles over the course of time and keep the site updated regularly. Hope we can achieve that with the encouragement of visitors to the site, like yourself..
fascinated by the details available. tamilnadu once was a great centre of buddhist and jain faiths. it is now time to search and find such places mentioned in the ancient tamil literature. more important is to protect such places from vandals, land grabbers, granite quarry owners and real estate developers. it is duty of the government to protect preserve and enlighten the local people about their glorious past by conducting camps and exhibitions. apprecitates the good work done by you
Thanks Mr. Nagarajan for your input.. Yes, we work collectively to raise awareness and safeguard such sites with a rich heritage.
in this connection kindly mention the yeomen service done by the great tamil scholar late sri mylai seeni venkatasamy through his best work samanamum tamilum
Thanks for this information Mr. Nagarajan. Will definitely look to include this in our list..
Recently I had been to Neminathar temple at Tirumali near Arcot with Reach Foundation an NGO working for maintaining our heritage monuments. It is excellent temple. Even though I am born and brought up in Chennai, I am not aware of this temple. The mural paintings which is found there are taking us back to1000 years .
I request you to list the ancient jain temples in Tamilnadu, the temple opening and closing timings, list of contact numbers, and important festivals and if possible date on which it falls in 2011 & 2012 so that people like us can go during the festival days for darshan.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(P.GOPALAN)
Thanks for the information Mr. Gopalan.. Yes, our goal is to get a list of temples with addtional information such as timings, location, directions and contact details etc.. to facilitate people to visit them.. With all of your help we will get to that goal soon..
Sir,
In continuation of my previous letter,I would also like you give the exact location of the temples and how to reach there.
Yours faithfully,
(P.GOPALAN)
You have done a very good job.
The tamil jains never forget you!
HATS OFF TO YOU.
Sir,
Thanks Mr. Vijayaraj encouraging words will, support do lot more in due course
you have done a great job many thanks
Thank you sir
it is help to all jains for yatra to our tamil nadu
Kudos to you guys… I have not seen any great post before like this on Tamil Jain Sites……Thanks to you very much….I am from Udaipur (rajasthan) and want to visit there in january…on the internet I didn’t found much on tamilnadu jainsim- but you have done your work >perfect< It is really very helpful. Thanks again.
Jai Jinendra
Manish Jain
முகப்பில் உள்ள படத்தில் உள்ள தெய்வங்களின் பெயர் என்ன?
இத்தெய்வங்கள் இவ்வாறான வரிசையில் இருப்பதற்கான இலக்கணம் என்ன?
அறியத்தருமாறு அன்புடன் கேட்டுக் கொள்கிறேன்.
அன்பன்
கி.காளைராசன்
நேமி – தீர்த்தங்கரர்; பிரம்ம தேவர், தருமதேவி – எக்ஷன், எக்ஷி (காவல் தெய்வங்கள்).
வணக்கம்
குன்றக்குடி சமணர் படுக்கை பற்றிய விபரம் இதில் இல்லையே?
வண்ணக்கம் திரு. கலைராஜன். குன்றக்குடி சமணர் படுக்கை பற்றி தங்களுக்கு தெரிந்த விவரங்களை மினஞ்சல் மூலமாக எங்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொண்டால், அதை இத்தளத்தில் வெளியிட முயல்கிறோம்.
thank you for our vabuable information…
in samanamum tamizhum by mayilai seeni venkatasamy;s book
he wrote about a jain temple at thingaloor,near erode.is it still exists.there is only a jain temple at vijayamangalam.can you clarify
[…] 8. தமிழ் சமணர்களின் சில தளங்கள். (தமிழிலும் ஆங்கிலத்திலும்) இப்பக்கங்களில் காணப்படும் அதீத சமணச்சார்புத் தன்மையினால் இப்பக்கங்களின் சுட்டிகள் இங்கு தரப்படவில்லை. இவைகளை, ‘தமிழ் சமணம்’ அல்லது “Tamil Jain” என்ற சொற்தேடல்களினால் தேடலாம். இவைகளில் இக்குறிப்பிட்ட தளத்தில் தமிழகத்திலுள்ள சமண புதைபொருள் இடங்கள் பற்றிய ஏராளமான தகவல்கள் உண்டு: http://www.tamiljains.org/historic-tamil-jain-sites […]
Very interesting work @ http://thamilarthookkam.wordpress.com/. Congratulations and keep up your good work. Writing every post in both English and Tamil is fantastic (something we want to do here as well but are not 100% there).
[…] 8. There are some blog sites maintained by Tamil Samanar. (Tamil and English). The URLs are not provided here because their obvious Samanam bias. They can be readily accessed by search words such as “Tamil Jain” or “தமிழ் சமணம்”. The following site specifically has extensive information on Samanam archaeological sites in Tamilakam: http://www.tamiljains.org/historic-tamil-jain-sites […]
valuable information, if any information about jain heritage pls send a mail to my mail id
Excellent work Keep it up
i will be convert from hindu to jain so what is converting procedure? Please inform me sir.
ஐயா வணக்கம்,
நான் இந்து சமயத்திலிருந்து சமண சமயத்திற்கு மாற விரும்புகிறேன்.எனவே தயவு கூர்ந்து வழிமுறைகள் பற்றி கூறுங்கள்?
ஒலி வடிவத்திலிருந்த சமண தத்துவங்களை வரி வடிவத்தில் கணதரர் தந்தார்!
காலத்தின் சீற்றத்தால் மற்றும் மனிதனின் பொருள் முதல் வாத வேட்கையால் அழிந்துவரும் சமணத்தின் கற் சுவடுகளை தாங்கள் வலை தளங்களில் பதிவு செய்யும்
முயற்சியை மனதார போற்றுகிறேன். மாபெரும் வெற்றி பெற வாழ்த்துகள்!
எனது வலைப்பூவில் மதுரை மீனாட்சிபுரம் (மாங்குளம்) பற்றியும் சித்தன்னவாசல் வாசல் பற்றியும் தகவல்கள் உள்ளன.
very fine. jina dharmam.