Jain Journal 1996 10

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

Page 28

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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXI, No. 2 October 1996
the sculptures were also covered with painted stucco. Now the paintings on the walls have perished and some paintings on the ceiling beams and some on the upper parts of the pillars alone remain intact. After the cave had been declared a national monument the entire area was fenced by ASI and a big iron gate was also fixed.
The paintings above the three images in the sanctum, those on the ceiling, the images in the ardhamanḍapa and the ones on the corbels, beam and cornice now give a faded and defaced picture.
But, unless some drastic action is taken to contain the ongoing granite quarrying works in the hill region, these rare pieces of art will collapse very soon.
On the southern part of the cave temple, the death bed (resting place) of the Jain saints is situated on a hillock about 200 feet height from the ground level. It is said that the Jain saints, during their final days, preferred an isolated place like natural caverns in order to observe 'sallekhanam fast' unto death. One such place is in Sittannavasal but is being ignored by officials.
There are 15 such beds on this hillock and the place has been protected with an iron gate. In the absence of any watchman to look after these structures exclusively, the quarry workers around the area used to scale the iron gate and damage the beautifully carved stone beds, sometimes even with the help of chisels!
Moreover, owing to the free usage of explosives to blow rocks, the upper portions of the beds have developed cracks and may collapse at any moment. The impact of explosions is so devastating that the paintings, along with the plaster, vanish into thin air, pointed out Kudavayil Balasubramaniyam, a noted Historian from Thanjavur.
Hence, unless the Government imposes a total ban on quarrying in Pudukottai district as the district has the maximum number of protected monuments, the rarest of art forms, sculptures and caves would be lost for ever.
From The Indian Express, 9.9.1996.
A Modern Jaina Mathematician
There are 24 Tirthankaras of the present age in Jainism. The first Tirthankara is Rṣabhadeva, who is mentioned in all the Jaina Purāņas as well as in the Rgveda. Bharata, son of Rṣabha, was the first Cakravarti and our country got the name 'BHARATAVARṢA' from him.