Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 20

JAINA TEMPLES 19
Among the two, the former temple was in existence as early as the middle of the 6th century A.D. and the Pallava king Simhavarman (556 A.D) is said to have granted the village Amanserkai and some lands in Tamar to the reputed monk Vajranandi for conducting worship to the Jina at Vardhamaneesvara tirtha.1 The Vardhamana temple was considerably enlarged with additional shrines for Dharmadevi and Pushpadanta and a separate group of shrines for Padmaprabha, Vasupujya and Parsvanatha in the 12th century.
The Sangeetha mandapa of the temple complex was built in 1387 by Irugappa, the famous general of the Vijayanagara king Bukka II2, probably to hold musical concerts and religious discourses. A prakara wall with the gopura on its eastern side was added by a chieftain Alagiya Pallavan in the 13th century A.D. The Sangeetha mandapa on its ceiling contained two layers of paintings executed during the Vijayanagara and Nayaka rule. The earlier layer has disappeared with the passage of time, while the second layer, depicting incidents connected with the life of Rishabhanatha, Neminatha, Mahavira and Ambika Yakshi, is in a bad state of preservation.
At Jinakanchi, a succession of reputed monks presided over the monastic establishment. But it is not possible to trace the history of the matha as well as the names of the presiding monks. However, epigraphical records mention names such as Vajranandi, Pushpasena, Anantavirya, Vamanacharya Chandrakirti and Mallisena who might have adorned the Pontificate at different periods of time.
Chandraprabha temple
The Chandraprabha temple at Tirupparuttikunram is of modest proportion and is said to have