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JAINA BIBLIOGRAPHY
1837
engraved on it, description given. A mānastambhı. Five inscriptions copied from this temple, others mutilated. Stone pillar inscription commemorating the Nisidika of Pullappa, sister of Chāmunda Rāja. Inscription dated 1163 of Kulottunga Chola, a Kongu Chola (1149-1163), records gift of land to Virasanghatap iramballi of Vijiamangalam Third inscription dated 1267 A,D. The fourth dated 1412 A.D.-- of the Vijianagar King Harihara Rāja III. This temple has been in a flourishing state between the 12th and the 14th-15th centuries.
P. 92. (2) Arasnamalai.-- This is a fine conical hill near the Railway road south of Vijiamangalam temple. The deity on the hill was Neminātha. The temple fell in ruins and recently a Siva Sanyāsi pulled the building down and threw the fine idol away and erected an ugly Siva temple near it. The Yakshi temple still stands; the Yakshi Kushpanini is now in the Vijiamangalam temple.
(3) Sinapuram.-- 8 miles from Vijiamangalam on the road side, a small shrine of Ādiśvara, 21 feet in height. Kongumandala Sathakam says--this was the birth place of Pavanandi, the Great Tamil Grammarian.
(4) Thingalore (ancient Chandrapuri) - 4 miles from Sinapuram, the deity is Pushpanātha or Pushpadanta; Brahma Yaksha figure 3 feet high-small Tirthankara on his crown ; inscription dated 1045 of the reign of Vikrama Chola Konathan, a Kongu Chola; Sandiravasadi; the famous temple of Appichimar Matam had some connection with Jainism.
(5) Vellodu-3 miles south of Perundurai Railway Station. The deity is Adiśvara.
(6) Pundurai-4 miles from the former, towards the east. The deity is Pārsvanātha - 2 feet high. Another Jain temple at Palankarai near Avanashi. The Jains were generally scholars and they mastered the language of whichever country they immigrated to. They influenced and aided a great deal the development of Telugu and Kanarese literatures. Tamil literature was at one stage under their patronage. The literary activities of Kongu Nadu were under their hands. Kongu Vel Ma Kadai, the Tamil version of Brihatkatha, was their work by the famous poet Kongu Vel who lived at Vijiamangalam more than a dozen centuries ago. Their latest poet Karmega Kavi, compiled Kongumandala Sathakam and thereby preserved all the folk-tales of Kongu to posterity. The rhetorician Gunaveera Pandit, the grammarian Pavanandi and the commentator Adiyarkunallar are attributed to this land. Their influence has made Vijiamangalam as one of the great 24 Jain Centres on earth.
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