Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 12

EARLY JAINA CAVES
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sized human to stretch freely. On the pillow side of the small beds are engraved four Brahmi inscriptions datable to first century. The over hanging rock across its full length of the margin is chiseled off and cut into a narrow ledge to drain off water. A similar groove cut into the floor at the broad entrance may have likewise served to drain the water from the sloping rock on the southern side of the cavern. The existence of foot holds leading to the cavern and the holes cut deep into the rock by their size were meant perhaps to receive poles which once supported the wooden railings. The perennial spring which can be reached by a flight of crude steps only a few yards down the northern side of the cavern served as source of water supply. A peculiar feature of this cavern is the presence of two low benches one measuring 5' by 19." and the other 6' by 3'. On the northern side of the hill is a smaller cave with two beds but without inscriptions.
Muttupatti
It is a hamlet of Vadapalangy in Madurai taluk. About 250m. east of it is a huge overhanging boulder sheltering about 30 beds. The cavern measures 43' east to west, 26' deep on the eastern side and about 5' in height. On the pillow side of 3 of the beds is a damaged Brahmi inscription and on the rounded margin of the sheltering rock are two others, better preserved. A detached boulder in this spacious cavern also contains a bed and a Brahmi inscription cut into it, but on rather rude surface. There is a groove in the boulder to drain off rain water.
The Brahmi records found in the caverns are assigned to the first two centuries of the Christian era. One of them refers to a resident monk who was
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