Chitharal jain temple located in Kanyakumari district tamilnadu state.its 13 km from marthandam.50 km from thiruvananthapuram.its actually a hill station.top of the portion has a jain temple.coolest air, eye cool view point,.for fresh mind choose this place for travel.
Chitharal Jain Rock Cut Temple | History


There are two parks in there. The earlier rock-cut Jain bead structure with inscriptions and drip-ledges is the earliest Jain monument to be found in the southernmost part of India from the 1st century BC to the 6th century AD.

The temple monuments were probably founded in the ninth century by Digambara Jains, when the area was under Jainism control. The King Mahendravarman I (610-640) owed Jain influence in this region.

Following on from T. A. Gopinatha Rao who visited the monuments in 1920-21, the inscription on the south side says a Jain priestess named Gunandagi- kurattigal, a disciple of Arattanemi-Bhatariyar of Peravakkudi, presented Bhatariyar of Tiruchchanam malai with a metallic lamp stand and a golden flower during the 28th year of the reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna Pandya. In the past it was a Jain training center for males as well as females. The inscription is known as Vatteluthu, in the old Tamil language.
Chitharal Jain Rock Cut Temple | History

The Travancore Archaeological Series says that the name of the hills, Tiruchcharanattu malai, means the Charanas hill. Charanas means ascetics of Jain who were raised on the hills. The votive images on the rock engraved under each of them are identified by an ascetic or individual who carved it.

It is a centrally protected monument (N-TN-T2), maintained since 1964 by Thrissur Circle of India's Archaeological Survey. It is inscribed as Temple of Bhagawati and bas-relief of Jaina.

A natural cavern built from overhanging rock has Jain Tirthankaras bas-relief sculptures that were later carved. Parshwanatha and Padmavati's relief is standing figures canopied by multi-hooded cobra and with Yaksha's attendants. In each niche, the figures seated in ardha-padmasana pose with three tiered parasols is that of other Tirthankaras (possibly of all 24 Tithankaras). There are three Tirthankara standing figures in the left corner. The central niche has a Mahavira figure with three tiered parasol, a chhatratrayi chaitya with a tree above it and accompanying figures in it. Next to it is another female Ambika figure in a niche.This has supporting figures of two kids and a lion brace. All big niches have Vidyadharas or Worshippers flying figures. In Vatteluthu Tamil script, each of these figures has a short inscription below the seat listing a donor name and place name. It is known from this inscription that the site was under Jains influence at least until the middle of the thirteenth century.

The monuments are approached by loosely hewn rock steps and the narrow passage between them. There is a cave temple with mandapa on top of the hill, a varandah corridor and a balipeetham with a kitchen (madappalli) carved into a natural overhanging rock facing the west. It has three sanctums that houses the Tirthankara (possibly Mahavira) in the centre, right goddess and left Parshwanatha. The main shrine gopuram is probably damaged due to lightning. The temple was erected in medieval times. On top of the hill is another temple-like structure (Vimana) that is reached by ascending a few steps.A few steps downward is a natural pool. The cave temple was converted into the Hindu temple of Bhagavati around the 13th century. This is known from the Tamil script inscription at the entrance of the mandapa dated to 475 KE (1300 AD), which says Narayanan, Tamil Appalla Varaiyan of Rajavallapuram in the Kil Vembanadu donated some money at the expense of the Bhagavati temple
Previous Post Next Post