Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

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JAINA SCULPTURAL ART 47
Eruminadu (Mysore area) took to asceticism at
at
Sittannavasal.27 Monks of the Mulasangha Sravanabelgola successively travelled to distant parts of Karnataka as well as Tamilnadu inorder to propagate the gospel of the Jina.28 The cordial relation between the Jaina adherents of the two regions could be understood by a systematic study of literary works, epigraphical documents, manuscripts, paintings and sculptures in both the regions.
The impact of Karnataka art idiom on that of Tamilnadu is illustrated at its best by the sculptures from places like Kalugumalai, Pechchipallam, Karantai, Pudukottai and Vallimalai. Among the 9th century triple images of Adinatha, Neminatha and Mahavira from Kalugumalai, the first two images contain carvings of a dharmachakra and flaming conch respectively on their pedestals. The presence of these lanchanas is believed to be mainly due to the impact of Western Ganga art idiom in the Pandya country."
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Tirumalai has a colossal image of Neminatha, popularly known as Sikhamaninatha, carved on a huge rock. The very idea of sculpting this imposing figure in the 12th century seems to have been inspired by the Bahubali colossus of Sravanabelgola."
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The Western Ganga sculptures representing Adinatha and Mahavira at Valliamalai near Vellore are flanked by Sarvahna yaksha and Ambika yakshi. Similarly, the Adinatha bronze figures obtained from Pudukkottai are accompanied by Gomukha and Chakresvari. The presence of the attendant deities along with their respective Tirthankaras in these specimens of the 9th - 10th centuries apparently reveal the impact of Karnataka art idiom in Tamilnadu. The presence of jatas on the shoulders of Adinatha in the Pudukkottai bronzes, and of the Bahubali images from
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