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JAINISM IN KERALA
Buddhism and Jainism were very popular in Kerala and held sway over her people in the early centuries of Christian era. As regards Buddhism, no temples are now extant. But Jaina temples continue to exist in many parts of Kerala, though some of them are known as Hindu teinples and deities called by Hindu names. The Jaina temples at Kallil, about eight miles from Peruinbavur in the Ernakulam district had adopted Hindu form and rituals though those at Sultan Battery in Calicut district and Mundur in Palghat district still continue to preserve Jaina ritual and forms.
In Kerala the Jaina sect had a good following and this is amply evidenced by the centres of Jainism found in the state. The two important centres of Jainism, Citral and Nagarkovil of the present Tamil Nadu state, were previously parts of the erstwhile Travancore state, which now, with the other two regions of Cochin and Malabar has been united to form the Kerala state. Sculptures of the Jaina images in the two centres referred to above deserve appreciation in view of heir exquisitely graceful features.
Kallil is the most important ancient site of Jainism in Kerala. Kallil contains a natural rock cave in which are set the figures of Mahavira, Parsvanatha and Padmavati. On the facade of the cave on the overhanging rock there is the figure of Mahavira which is incomplete. People believe that heavenly sculptors come down every day to complete it. The image of Mahavira, carved in half relief on the back wall of the cave, is seated on a simhasana in the yogic posture. The usual lāñchana lion is carved on the middle of the seat with triple umbrella above the head and gandharvas on either side with cauris. On the right is shown Padmavati Devi, the principal deity in the temple today. To the left of Mahavira is Parsvanatha.
In addition to above, more centres of Jainism have been reported in the Calicut and Palghat districts. Ganapativattam in Sultan Battery was an important centre of Jainism in south Wayanad. The most interresting of the temples at Sultan Battery is the Vasti temple hidden in a lantana thicket, a few yards south of the sixtieth milestone on the Kerala
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