Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 14

EARLY JAINA CAVES
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consisting of three big rocks. The eastern most rock is Udayagiri and it contains a huge spacious cavern formed by the projection of the two sides of the rock. A number of beds have been cut into it, but are highly mutilated. An overhanging boulder at a height of thirty feet from the cavern is engraved with two Brahmi inscriptions. The inscriptions are very much obliterated, however, they appear to mention the cutting of stone beds in the cavern.
Karungalakkudi
Lying about 13 kms to the north of Melur, Karungalakkudi boasts of natural caverns on the hillock. One of the caverns is formed by a boulder resting on and overhanging another. While the cavern containing the Brahmi inscriptions measures 33 ft. square with openings on both the southern and northern sides; the other caverns have mutilated beds cut into the rocky floor. Higher up the hill are three more natural caverns with rows of beds cut into the floor.
The biggest cavern containing a short Brahmi inscription datable to 2nd - 1st centuries B.C. was the monastery presided over by a Muni Ariti who was a native of Elaiyur." The occurrence of a series of stone beds at Karungalakkudi would reveal that large number of monks inhabited the caverns. Since the same place continued to enjoy religious importance in later times, the great Archarya Ajjanandi caused to be made an image of a Tirthankara on a boulder in 9th century A.D.
Vikkiramangalam
This is a village near Solavandan. About 2 kms. away is the Nagamalai range of hills wherein is a
natural cavern facing south. The height of this cavern