________________
PROTECTED JAINA MONUMENTS
103
called Bastipura contains a structural temple of Chandraprabha. The various sub shrines of the temples once contained the images of Adinatha. Ananthanatha, Mahavira and Kushmandini Yakshi. There are also friezes representing the events of Adhinatha's life on the beams of the mandapa, probably of early Vijayanagara times. A separate temple intended for Adinantha is also found on the north western part of the temple compound. Inscriptions belonging to the Gangas, Cholas and Vijayanagara are found here.
The innermost complex comprises the grabha griha, ardhamandapa and mahamandapa capped by an octagonal shikara over a single tala. This brick structure is datable to the 9th century. A.D. The garbhagriha contains mural paintings, both figural and vegetal on its side walls. The large mahamandapa has a sub-shrine for Kushumandini Yakshi on the sourthern side and an exit on the north and the large open pillared mandapa along with a gopura on the eastern side and a granite manastambha, infront.
Jaina vestiges in Pudukkottai District
Apart form the early Jaina natural caverns already mentioned above, this district is very rich in Jaina relics. Most of the Jaina sites protected in this area are solitary sculptures mainly Tirthankara images found today in remote and not easily accessible corners. They include the images at Mylapatti, Annavasal, Melur, Nanjur, Letchumanpatti, Maradur, Valavampatti, Nallur, Puliyuri, Tiruppur and Tekkattur. These Jaina images mostly belonging to the 11th - 13th centuries A.D. show Tirthankaras seated in dhyana pose under a triple umbrella with attendants
on either side. The whole group is surmounted by Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
