Jinamanjari 1998 04 No 17

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

Page 74

Vajranandi of Nandisangha. The temple is dedicated to Tīrthankara Mahāvīra, and the temple architecture style is composed of three periods, namely Chola, Pallava and Vijayanagara. In the eighteenth century, mural paintings depicting the life of Tīrthankaras have been created. The temple which is about 1500 years old has undergone renovations over the period. There are two foot-prints of the celebrated Jain saints, Mallisena and Puspasena, located under a small tree.
The place became a Jaina holy shrine as early as sixth century, and the Nandisangha raised to fame in Tamilnadu when the South Indian original monastic order of ācārya Kundakunda was divided into four sanghas - Nandi, Sena, Deva and Simha. The presiding saints of the sangha thus suffixed their names with the epithet Nandi.
The Nandi monastery of Kanchi prospered for a long time under many patrons. Candrakirtidevar, the preceptor in the last quarter of the twelfth century, and in the fifteenth century, Puspasena, the preceptor of Vijayanagara Prime Minister Irugappa was in charge of this monastery. According to Col. Mackenzie, the matha was once honored by such pontiffs as Samanthabhadra, Sivakoti, the king of Kanchi who became a convert to Jainism and later a mendicant who wrote the Ratnamala.
After Vijayanagara rule, the matha was closed and the pontifical seat was transferred to Chittamur in South Arcot.. Only in the sixteenth century, Virasenacarya re-established the matha here from Chittamur."
Mamallapuram: Several centuries ago, this small village was a famous harbor under Pallava kings. It is well known for its sculptural excellence. There were many Jain sculptures and images, but only one remains. It is the bas-relief and its rock face, an eastern vertical length of 96 feet and 43 feet high, depicts the story of emperor Sakara, as referred in the work Ajitanathar Puranam.
NORTH ARCOT DISTRICT Agarakorakottai is a small village, 20 km south of Wandawasi on the road to Tindivanam. The temple is only about 80 years old, dedicated to Tīrthankara Pārsva.
The Jain population of the village is about twelve families.