Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 58

JAINA BRONZES
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Pata2 and special offerings are made during the Ananta Vrata or a 14-day observance of vow. DHARMANATHA
The 13th cent.A.D. temple of Dharmanatha at Arungulam near Tiruttani, has a bronze image, coeval with the temple. Here, the Jina is standing in kayotsarga pose with a tall and slim body. The face of the image is highly worn out probably due to regular abhishekha and pujas. This specimen is said to be the earliest available bronze of Dharmanatha in Tamilnadu. However, modern metal icons of the Tirthankara are found in places like Perumandur, Venkunram, Nelliyankulam, Chittamur etc. and they do not possess the artistic splendour of the Arungulam specimen. SANTHINATHA
He is the sixteenth Jina and the most popular Tirthankara in the other parts of India. To get rid of from epidemics, famine, fire and robbery, he is worshipped. But in Tamilnadu his worship has not gained much popularity. There is only one temple dedicated to this Tirthankara, dated to 16th cent.A.D., at Somasipadi near Tiruvannamalai, where too no early bronze image is found. However, modern ones are found in places like Nelliyankulam, Tindivanam, Venkunram, Chittamur etc. KUNTHUNATHA
No ancient bronze of Kunthunatha is available, though the earliest temple dedicated to him at Karandai, is dated to 9th cent.A.D. However, his bronze images belonging to modern period are found at Nelliyankulam and Perumandur with the goat lanchana
on the pedestal.