Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 39

38 JAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU
as Ilangautaman acharya of Madurai who undertook the renovation work of the rock-cut temple in the 9th century A.D.
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The ascetic abodes at Anaimalai, Aivarmalai, Algarmalai, Arittapatti, Kilakuyilkudi, Muttuppatti etc., around Madurai pulsated with religious activities in the 9th century A.D. As a result, they began to wear a new look with exquisite sculptures of Tirthankaras and, at times, yakshis. Uttamapalayam cave also got metamorphosised into a veritable gallery of sculptures with recurrent versions of Parsvanatha and others.
Anaimalai, 14 Kms. from Madurai, attained the peak of its glory in the 9th century A.D., when the earlier ascetic abode was embellished with a number of lovely Jaina sculptures. At that time, a series of bold reliefs representing Tirthankaras and Ambika were carved inside the cave in a row. Among them, the notable are depictions of Parsvanatha and Neminatha. Parsva is seen standing in a rigid poise with the therio-anthropomorphic form of Dharanendra above his head as at Kalugumalai. The image of Neminatha portrayed in ardhaparyankasana and surmounted by a triple umbrella, is set within a niche resembling the whorl of a conch. Ambika with her sons, lady attendant and her husband Somasarman are sculpted to left side of Neminatha. Lithic records in the cave reveal that all these images were caused to be made at the instance of monk Ajjanandi and lay devotees like Enadinadi, Saradan Araiyan and Evviyam Puthi and CheliyaPandi.14 The accountants of Porkodu village and some revenue officials of Venbaikudi agreed to protect these images."
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Kilakuyilkudi near Nagamalai contains two natural caves, one at the lower level and another at a higher level of a hillock. The lower cave, known as