Feed on
Posts
Comments

Historic Tamil Jain Sites

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:

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:

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:

Stories in Stones

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:

Vandals’ work

Digambar Jain Temple Complex Vijayamangalam

Monumental Neglect

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

Mettupatti Epigraphy

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:

An article in The Hindu

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:

Tamil Brahmi Scripts

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:

South Indian Inscriptions

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:

Renovation of Temples

Article in The Hindu

Arungundram

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

Article in The Hindu

Early Tamil Epigraphy

Early Jain Vestiges, Tamil Nadu

Thanjavour Maratha Marvals

Epigraphy Compilation

Newfound Jain Sites

Stories in Stones

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

37 Responses to “Historic Tamil Jain Sites”

  1. b.mahaveer prabu says:

    pls any jain news my mail add.send.

    thankyou.

  2. Kesavan M says:

    Hey, really great article. Thanks for your work on this.Keep posting.
    Thanks once again.

  3. R.GUNASEKARAN says:

    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

  4. S.NATARAJAN says:

    Is tamil journal mukkudai from chennai stillavailable

  5. APPANDARAJAN B says:

    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.

    • admin says:

      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..

  6. NAGARAJAN .S says:

    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

    • admin says:

      Thanks Mr. Nagarajan for your input.. Yes, we work collectively to raise awareness and safeguard such sites with a rich heritage.

  7. NAGARAJAN .S says:

    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

    • admin says:

      Thanks for this information Mr. Nagarajan. Will definitely look to include this in our list..

  8. P.Gopalan says:

    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)

    • admin says:

      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..

  9. P.Gopalan says:

    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)

  10. s.vijayaraj says:

    You have done a very good job.

    The tamil jains never forget you!

    HATS OFF TO YOU.

  11. s.nemirajan says:

    you have done a great job many thanks

  12. akki Prashanth says:

    Thank you sir
    it is help to all jains for yatra to our tamil nadu

  13. Manish Jain says:

    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

  14. Dr. K. Kalairajan says:

    முகப்பில் உள்ள படத்தில் உள்ள தெய்வங்களின் பெயர் என்ன?
    இத்தெய்வங்கள் இவ்வாறான வரிசையில் இருப்பதற்கான இலக்கணம் என்ன?

    அறியத்தருமாறு அன்புடன் கேட்டுக் கொள்கிறேன்.
    அன்பன்
    கி.காளைராசன்

    • admin says:

      நேமி – தீர்த்தங்கரர்; பிரம்ம தேவர், தருமதேவி – எக்ஷன், எக்ஷி (காவல் தெய்வங்கள்).

  15. Dr. K. Kalairajan says:

    வணக்கம்
    குன்றக்குடி சமணர் படுக்கை பற்றிய விபரம் இதில் இல்லையே?

    • admin says:

      வண்ணக்கம் திரு. கலைராஜன். குன்றக்குடி சமணர் படுக்கை பற்றி தங்களுக்கு தெரிந்த விவரங்களை மினஞ்சல் மூலமாக எங்களுடன் பகிர்ந்து கொண்டால், அதை இத்தளத்தில் வெளியிட முயல்கிறோம்.

  16. Agasthi vimal says:

    thank you for our vabuable information…

  17. s.natarajan says:

    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

  18. […] 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 […]

  19. […] 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 […]

  20. bharath jain says:

    valuable information, if any information about jain heritage pls send a mail to my mail id

  21. Mahendiran says:

    Excellent work Keep it up

  22. mohanraj says:

    i will be convert from hindu to jain so what is converting procedure? Please inform me sir.

  23. mohanraj says:

    ஐயா வணக்கம்,
    நான் இந்து சமயத்திலிருந்து சமண சமயத்திற்கு மாற விரும்புகிறேன்.எனவே தயவு கூர்ந்து வழிமுறைகள் பற்றி கூறுங்கள்?

  24. santhiraj says:

    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!

  25. RAJAGURU says:

    எனது வலைப்பூவில் மதுரை மீனாட்சிபுரம் (மாங்குளம்) பற்றியும் சித்தன்னவாசல் வாசல் பற்றியும் தகவல்கள் உள்ளன.

  26. selvaraju .N says:

    very fine. jina dharmam.

Leave a Reply to S.NATARAJAN