History of Early Ganga Monarchy and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 72

Support of Rācamalla-1/29
representing Tirthankaras, Yakşas and Yaksis, carved on the face of the rock, which could have been provided with some sort of shelter so as to form a frontmandapa in those days (Ekambaranatham, A. and Sivaprakasam, C.K. eds :Jaina Inscriptions in Tamilnadu : 1987: 281;ARE 1889: No. 91:ibid, 1895: No.6]. A charter of C.E. 1122 describes Rācamalla as a moon to the ocean of Jinadharma [EC.
VII (BLR) Sh. 4). 5.6.1.2 Rācamalla's charter found on the Vallimalai rockcut cave
states that Ajjanandi Acārya caused the carving of the figures of his preceptors (ARSIE 1895. No. 10 C.E. 820). Preceptor Ajjanandi Bhatāra travelled a vast area in south India and revived Nirgranta faith on the model of his predecessors like the adept Bhadrabāhu, Simhanandi and Kondakunda. The Ganga king Rājamalla-I [EI. IV. pp. 140 ff] and his ally Bana Vikramāditya-I (ARIE 1895: No.s 7, 8, 9), caused several of the Jaina carvings at the instance of Ajjanandi, is also notable for reviving the activities of Nirgrantha Church in the ninth centruy C.E. in Tamilnadu. He has authored several sculptures of Arhats at Karuñgalakkudi (Madurai dist), Tiruvāyiri (Madurai), Anaimalai (Madurai), Kurandi (Rāmanāthapuram), Algarmalai (Madurai) and Vallimalai (North Arcot) (ARSIE 1911, No. 562:SII. XIV. No. 22 and 107 to 119: ARSIE 1910. No. s 61-69; EI. IV.
pp. 140 ff; \Ekambaranathan : 1987]. 5.6.2 The Ganga king Rācamalla-II (877-977) (variant form
Rājamalla) son of Nitimārga Ereyanga-I (843-70), did not lag behind to contribute to the sustenance of Jainism. He founded in C.E. 892-93, two temples dedicated to Arhats at Siyamangalam [TN : North Arcot Dist/ Wandiwash tk), on top of the hill Vidyādri, similar to the Vallimalai structure. An inscription states that the Arunkala anvaya, the school of the friars and nuns, belonged to the Nandi sangha and also records that the king Rājamalla founded two temples for Jinarāja at