Jinamanjari 1998 04 No 17

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

Page 13

vertical cutting - firstly at the bottom, secondly along the wall. Cutting is extended sideward, and in the interior, cutting is done at either side of the central opening to make a spacious hall within. Above the wide opening, drip ledges are provided to drain off rain water, and often overhanging rock project to serve as umbrella rock at the entrance. Some caves have external vertical walls with latticed windows - pinay, on either side of the entrance to allow light and wind into the interior hall. Early cave monasteries were provided with regular narrow stepway and one or two landings between the foot of the hill and the portico.
Architecturally and artistically, Madurai caves are more primitive when compared with the contemporary period caves of Bihar in eastern India. Although the structural norms of cave cutting in the far away Nagarjuni and Barbar hills of Bihar had emanated from the south Indian Toda huts under the aegis of Jain missionaries, it appears that the craftsmen of Madurai caves were not quick to translate their traditional hut constructions in stone. This demonstrates that the concepts have emanated in the South while the experimentation was done in the North
Some resemblance in script and contents of Madurai inscription may be noted in the Jain site at Vaddamānu in Andhra. In addition, some symbols represented at the end of the inscription as seen in inscription at Konkarpuliyankulam and Alakarmalai in Madurai caves have similarity with Vaddamānu potsherds. Similarly, some letters were inverted or written to a side, as at Vaddamānu. The inscription of Muttupatti (XIII.52) cheyal etc is written like a pendent or garland, and this feature could be seen in the Somaka rock inscription at Vaddamānu. Besides, there is a reference to one asiriyar at Vaddamānu. The word in the inscription is a Dravidian adaptation of bhikku, and is found on a fragmentary triangular lime-stone piece. This is also found in the Mankulam inscriptions (1.1,1.2), a reference to the revered saint (Kaniyanantha) asiriyar (aku). Thus, the contemporary evidences of Madurai and Vaddamānu prove the Jaina monastic activities at both these places.
The Jaina literary source makes reference to one Kanakabhikshu, also known as Kanakabhuta. Jinasena (834 C.E.) informs that Kanakabhikshu was an earlier writer of stories in bhutabhāśa, which formed the basis of Gunadhya's work. It is well known that the Jain story works began in the beginning of Common
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