Jain Journal 1997 07

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

Page 18

KUMARI : KARNATAKA-TAMIL NADU JAINA RELATIONS
13 This is evident in a latest Tamil record of 1951 engraved in the Pārsvanātha Basadi at Chittamur. 40a The pontill of Jinakāñci Matha functions from Chittamur where the pontifical seat or the Matha is situated.
Sravana Belgola Jaina Matha and Chittamur Matha
A large scale persecution of the adherents of Jaina saith is reported by Mackenzie, which finds support in the existing tradition.41
This large scale persecution is believed to have taken place in the 15th century during the time of one Venkatampatti, the head of the Gingee region. Consequently many Jains were forced to become saintites to escape death and those who refained their faith were forced to practice their rites secretly. 42
In Karnataka also Jaina tradition speaks of the occurrence of similar situation perhaps during the period of Vijayanagar rulers. The outcome of such a persecution was an emergence of a new sect in the Jaina community of Karnataka, namely, Jaina Sadhus who are more or less saivas in practice, but still consider themselves Jains.43
It is also believed that one Virasenācārya sobered by his narrow escape from death resolved to become an ascetic, and is believed to have come down to Sravana Belgola to study the holy books. However, this Virasenācārya along with one Gangayya started Jaina revival movement in the Gingee region.*
In 1478 A.D. the ruler of Gingee was one Venkatampattai who belonged to the comparatively low caste of the Kavarais. He asked the local Brahmanas to give him one of their daughters as wife. They said that if the Jains of world did so, they would follow suit. Venkatapatti told the Jains of this answer and asked for one of their girls as a bride. They took counsel among themselves how they might avoid the disgrace of connecting themselves by marriage with a man of such a caste and at last pretended to agree to the king's proposal and said that the daughter of a certain prominent Jain would be given to him. On the day fixed for the marriage, Venkatapatti went in state to the girl's house for the ceremony, but found it deserted and empty except for a bitch tied to one of the posts of verandah. Furious at the insult, he issued orders to behead all the Jains. Some of the faith were, accordingly, decapitated, others fled, others again were forced to practise their rites secretly and yet others become Saivite to escape death. Not long after the event mentioned above, in the province of Gengee, some of the kings' officers saw a Jain named Virasenācārya performing the Jaina rites in a well in Velur near Tindivanam and haled him before