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Recently Discovered Jaina Epigraphs
from Tondaimandalam
A. EKAMBARANATHAN
The northern part of ancient Tamil country, known as Tondaimandalam, has a plethora of Jaina monuments containing lithic records of religious and historical importance. Recent survey of the monuments by the present writer in South Arcot and North Arcot districts brought to light some hitherto unknown epigraphs from places such as Vidur, Ponnur, Tirunarungondai and Chittamur.
A temple of modest proportion dedicated to Risabhanatha, the first Tirthankara, exists at Vidur, a hamlet situated 20 kms south-east of Tindivanam in South Acrot district. The edifice, though an earlier one, has lost its original architectural features consequent to extensive repairs and renovations. A fragmentary record of the Rastrakuta king Krsna III (A.D. 939-968) is noticed on a slab built into the floor of the passage leading to the mandapa infront of the central shrine. The first part of the inscription mentioning the name of the king, no doubt, is in a good state of preservation, while the rest is very much obliterated. Though the purport of the record is unacertainable, it appears to register some endowment to the Jaina temple. This fragmentary record, apart from pushing back the antiquity of the temple to the middle of the 10th century A.D., reveals beyond doubt the patronage extended by Krsna III who held sway over Tondaimandalam for a brief period. It may be said in passing that the Jaina temples at Velappadi and Tirumalai in North Arcot district also received their due share of endowments from Krsna III. He had been liberal in his religious outlook by contributing Jaina institutions, even though he was a devout follower of Brahmanism.
Ponnur is a reputed Jaina centre situated about 15 kilometres from Wandiwash in North Arcot district, having a temple of Adinatha erected on a low mound called Kanagagiri. The place is variously known as Svarnapura, Hemagrama, Kundakundagrama, etc. The temple possesses numerous icons representing Tirthankaras, Yaksas and Yaksis. An inscription dated in the 17th of Vaisakha in Salivahana 1655 and Kali year
1 svasti sri kannara devarkku yandu..
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