Jain Journal 1991 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 17

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JAIN JOURNAL
of the 9th century A.D, built into the platform of the nearby Saiva rock-cut, mentions the name of the Jaina monk, Sri Nemicandradevar.16 He could have been a recluse looking after the management of the temple. Another lithic record dated in 1204 A.D. while registering an endowment made to the Siva temple, states that the gift excluded the 2 ma of land belonging to the Arhadeva temple of Tirumanaimalai at Narttamalai.17 Apparently, the rock-cut shrine was of Jaina affiliation and the hill bore the name Tirumapaimalai.
Subsequently, it was converted into a Vişņu temple. The lateral walls of the mandapa, at this time, was made suitable to accommodate twelve identical bas-reliefs of Vişņu. Besides, a structural addition in the form of a mahamandapa was also built by the same time. This conversion could have taken place around 1228 A.D. during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandya I. His inscription engraved therein speaks that the western temple was consecrated and in it were installed the idols of Vişnu and his consorts. 18
It is said that there was a structural temple dedicated to Karumanikkaperumal (Vişņu), then known as Tirumerkovil or western temple during the reign of Kulottungacola I (1070-1120 A.D.) and it must have subsequently fallen into ruins, and that about a century later, in the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandya I (1228 A.D.), the Jaina cave temple was converted into a Hindu shrine and the idols of Vişņu and his Devis were installed in it. The materials of the original Vişnu temple must have been used for the mahāmandapa infront of the cave temple. The twelve figures of Vişņu must have been cut out of the rock when the cave temple became a Vişņu shrine.19 Thus some of the epigraphs found at Narttamalai help to establish the cave temple's affiliation to the Jaina faith.
4. Aluruttimalai
Aluruttimalai, also known as Ammachatram hill near Narttamalai, has a natural cave on its northern slope, containing four polished stone beds cut on the floor. Two of them are hewn together as to form
16 ARE, 298/1968-69 17 SII, Vol. XVII, No. 390 18 PSI, No. 281 19 Journal of Oriental Research, Vol. VIII, pp. 25-26