Jaina Archaeological Heritage of Tamilnadu

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

Page 95

94 -*- JAINA ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE OF TAMILNADU
peculiar feature of this cavern is the presence of two low benches one measuring 5' by 1' 9.5" and the other 6' by 3'. On the northern side of the hill is a smaller cave with two beds but without inscriptions.
The later inscription is important as it reveals the contact between Tamilnadu and Ceylon. Two Jaina sculptures of Bahubali and Parsvanatha found near the caverns belong to the ninth century AD.
Mettupatti (second-first centuries B.C.) The Siddharmalai hill (hill of the Siddhas) in this village contains caverns with beds. The lower portion of the beds are fashioned in the form of the lotus petals, here again a pair of foot prints in relief with a lotus between the two, inside a circle are found. There are nine Brahmi inscriptions with the names of the donors. Caverns with or without beds are also found at Aivarmalai (Aiyampalaiyam), Kuppalanattam (Poygaimalai) and Palani (Panchavarpadukkai) all in Madurai district. No Brahmi inscriptions are found here but the Jaina associations are clearly indicated by the sculptures. (ninth century)
Alagarmalai: Situated at a distance of 20 kms northeast of Madurai is a range of hills of the same name. On this range between Alagarmalai and Kidaripatti is a huge cavern with beds. The way to the cavern appears to have been up a precipitous rock with narrow steps cut into at distances. The cavern spreading east to west is a spacious hall 80 feet. broad with an excellent spring in its right corner. The ceiling of the cave is quite high and the inscriptions are engraved at an inaccessible height on the brow of the cave. There are totally 13 Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, the largest number found in a single site and can be assigned to circa 1st century B.C. The stone beds are many and are of varying sizes scattered singly and in