________________
of the places to which they belonged and also their
disciples.
b)
Some of these names are presented here to show how the institution of Nuns along with monks flourished well in Tamilnadu.
a)
c)
JAINA MONASTERIES
d)
121
SANGA KURATTIGAL; Leader of Jain Sanga, her disciple Srivijaya Kurattiyar.
TIRUPARUTTI KURATTI; hailed from Tirupparuttikundram near Kanchipuram. She was a disciple of Pattini Bhatara.
THIRUMALAI KURATTI; hailed from Thirumalai. She had a male disciple: Enadikuttanan.
THIRUCHARANATTU KURATTIGAL came from Thirucharanam near Nagerkoil.
nunnery
Brief mention of the names of the Jaina nuns, and the their disciples prove Jaina contribution to women's education and equal opportunity for religious role.
Jaina monasteries and the attached Jain temples were great cultural centres. The isolated and remote abodes of the Jaina Monks developed into Pallis with the help of Pallichandams. These Pallis of ancient Tamilnadu have metamorphosed as Jaina maths in the Bhattara tradition. There are only two such mathas now, JINA KANCHI JAIN MATHA (Villupuram Dt). and ARAGANDAGIRI JAIN MATHA (Thiruvannamalai Dt).
REFERENCES
1. S. Vaiyapuri Pillai, 1956. History of Tamil Language and Literature, p.6.
2. E.J. Rapson, "Ancient India", p.48.
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