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JAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU
The Neminatha temple has again another prakara with a gopura entrance., the tower of the temple is missing. The grabhagriha is square and has an ardhamandapa of similar width, but a wide and closed mahamandapa and an open pillared mukhamandapa. The cornice of the mukhamandapa is massive, with kodungai ribbings underneath in typical Vijayanagar style. The topmost terrace also carries a small shrine which is attached to the bulge of the rocks scarp here and is in alignment with the other caverns. Excavations occur at different levels vertically, with partially structural floor and staircases, rising three stories high, with the topmost resting immediately under the horizontally projecting and overhanging rocky bluff. The storeys are characterized by corner cantoning pilasters but the top two talas also carry wall pilasters and niche figures of Ajitanatha, within a makara torana flanked by Maha Yaksha and Rohini, and with two standing elephants laterally shown carrying garlands on their slightly lifted trunks, against the varimana and vedi courses in applique stucco technique. The interior shrines at different levels show rock cut carvings of the Chola and Vijayanagara times. Of the Dharmadevi shrine with Gommata and two female attendants of the imperial Chola times (11th century A.D.) deserve attention. The main shrine is, however, for Neminanatha and is known as the Araikail (or the covered chambered temple) and is distinguished by extensive Vijayanagara and Nayaka paintings.
Vijayamangalam
This is one of the most important centers of Jainisin in the western Tamil country, known
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