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1836
JAINA BIBLIOGRAPHY
is that of another form of Śiva and call it Ammanesvar, meaning thereby by the naked God.
P. 88. There are some natural caverns on the sides of the Arunattar Hill near Pugalur which could be ascribed to the 3rd century B.C. They contain stone beds with inscriptions. Similar beds in the Aivar Malai in the Palani Taluq: on the Trichangodu Hill and Vellimalais: Brihatkathakośa of Harishena states that the Jain Sangha went to the South in the directions of the Punnata country. This Pro. vince was Kitipuram (Kittur on the Kabbini River-Ind. Ant. XVIII, P. 366).
P. 89. At Tirumurthi Hills, about 12 miles south of Udumalpet, there is a big boulder 25 feet in diameter with a Jain image engraved on it. From inscriptions it was known as Ammana Samudram; the deity known as Ammaneswara. The Jain monks located their centre at such an ideal locality. The Nayakas and their feudatories, would have erased all relics of Jainism. The Jain image has assumed the name of Tirumurthi, the Hindu Trinity combined into one. The priests of the locality attributed the Purāņic story of Anusuya and Athri rishi to this place and quite recently a local Sthala purānam has been spun by a local Pandit with that story as the basis. This is how certain religions disappear giving place to a more prevalent religion.
P. 90. The stronghold of Jainism seems to have been the Erode taluq in and around Vijiamangalam in a purely Tamil country of the type of Kongu Nadu shows that it ought to have a foreign origin. The folk-lore current in the place also shows tinge of Jainism. This must have been a colony of Jains as evidenced from the existence of the name, Bastipuram. The Jain temples in the surroundings are very old and are in ruins. A recent act of Vandalism of a Sanyasi has removed the ruins of the temple on the fine conical hill near Vijiamangalam and the beautiful image in it and replaced an ugly temple with a lingam in it. The images of
Tirthankaras in these temples are fine pieces of sculpture. The roof in the Vijiamangalam temple contains the life of Rişabha Tirthankara engraved in relief work which is a beautiful piece of sculpture.
The following are the temples now
found in the Erode
Pp. 90-91. Taluq :
(1) Vijiamangalam-4 miles from the Railway station of the same name; temple of Chandraprabha ; popularly known as Nettai Gopuram as it stands tall and erect; has 5 halls, contains statues of Chandraprabha, Vardhamāna, Anantanātha with 13 small figures around it, Kushpanini or Dharmadevi, Rishabha. The fifth hall-the biggest, the terrace has the history of Adiśwara or Rishabhanātha
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