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JAINA MONASTERIES
Prof. S. Thanyakumar 40, Second Street,
Ravi Colony, St. Thomas Mount, Chennai - 600 016.
Jainism, one of the oldest living religions received support from the rulers of the Tamil Country. It is evident from the inscriptions, manifest from the last centuries of B.C. and literature. "Jains were the real apostles of culture and learning". "They (the Jains) have also played a notable part in the civilization of the South India, where the early literary development of the Kanarese and Tamil languages was due, in a greater measure, to the labours of Jain monks".?
Jaina monks made the inaccessible caves as their abodes, far away from the human habitation. The Sramana movement opened it's ranks to the members of any age group or caste and to women. The season of rain-retreat witnessed extra-ordinary cultural activity in these abodes where people were taught and educated. These abodes became the main centres of learning. Such centres had developed at a number of places in all directions of the peninsular India. A number of very eminent Jaina preceptors flourished in these cloisters. Along with the monks, the Nuns also
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