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124
JAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU
Dindukal
15
3
!
Erode
Kanchipuram Kanyakumari
Karur
Chennai
Madurai
Pudukkottai
20
Ramnad
1
T.V. Malai
13
i
48
18
!
Thanjavur
Tirunelveli
3
Sivaganga
Tiruvallur Trichy Vellore
17
Villupuram
21
1959
Many Scholars have ascribed the early migration of Jainism in Tamilnadu approximately to the end of 3rd century B.C. or to the beginning of 2nd century B.C. This theory is fully based on the migration of Chandragupta Maurya along with the Jain Monk Bhadrabahu and twelve thousand disciples to Sravanabelagola in Karnataka around 3rd century B.C. Scholars, who further examined this late legendary source refused to consider its authenticity and inclined to believe that Jainism might have been in existence in South India even before the arrival of Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya.
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