Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

Author(s): A Ekambarnathan
Publisher: Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Mahasabha

Page 10

EARLY JAINA CAVES
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The cluster of caverns which formed the monastic establishment at Mangulam was presided over by a reputed monk called Kaninanta. Several stone beds were caused to be made in these caves by Kadalanvaluti, an officer of the Pandyan king Nedunjeliyan, Chatikan and Ilanchatikan, brother-in law and nephew respectively of the same king. Besides, the members of the merchant guild of Tiruvellarai also had evinced keen interest in this monastery and provided lattice work to the abode of Kaninanta. It is to be noted that the Mangulam inscriptions are the earliest epigraphs mentioning the name of the Pandyan king Nedunjeliyan, who figures prominently in some of the Sangam classics. Kilavalavu
Kilavalavu is situated at a distance of 10 kms from Melur. About 1.6 kms southwest of the Kilavalavu village is a hill with huge boulders with narrow bases gradually spreading as they rise into spacious tops. The boulders all round are chiseled wherever the slopes run into the concave portions of the rock and shelters below it a number of beds, the pillow lofts of which converge to the base of the boulder and thereby give to the latter the appearance of petals spreading evenly from the stem of a lotus flower. A Brahmi inscription of 2nd century B.C. is engraved directly below a chiseled portion of the rock. Similar boulders with numerous beds arranged in a circle round their narrow bases also exist in an adjoining hill and the openings all round are protected by pieces of piled up stone. The concentration of beds may probably indicate a heavy congregation of ascetics within a small radius. Alagarmalai
Alagarmalai, situated at a distance of 20 kms north-east of Madurai, is adjacent to a range of hills For Private & Personal Use Only