Kevalaodhi Buddhist And Jaina History Of Deccan Vol 2

Author(s): Aloka Parasher Sen, B Subrahmanyam, E Siva Nagi Reddy
Publisher: Bharatiya Kala Prakashan

Page 85

Patronage of the Imperial Chõlas to Nas Jainism
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temple was Nēminātha. The religious tolerance of the Saiva ruler is known from Jambai record. Apart from being the place of worship and meditation, this Jaina temple served as a refuge (Añjuvarpukalitam), the details of the same are not available.
An inscription of Paräntaka II Sundara Choļa (961-962 AD) found in Tirumalai informs us that his feudatory Tirukkovalur Malayaman Siddhavadavan and his queen. The last of these, Siddhavadavan donated for offerings in a Jaina temple at Sõlavandipuram.
There was an overall development during the reign of Rājarāja I (985 -1012 AD). He firmly reestablished the Chola power in South India and spread the Tamil culture in far off lands. His contacts with South, South East and Far East Asian countries proved to be a great success. He showed keen interest in building Siva temples of which Rājarājēśvaram in Tanjavur has immortalized his name and fame. Kundavai, his elder sister was noted for her tolerant attitude. In spite of being a great Saivite, her contribution to Jainism has given her a permanent place in the history of Jainism in South India. An extant Jaina temple known as Kundavai Jīnālaya after her at Tirumalai, also known as Vaikavur near Polur in North Arcot District, was built by Kundavai. She also built Jaina temples at Tirumalayadi in Trichy District" and at Dadapuram also known as Rājarājapuram after Rājarāja I near Tindivanan, and donated land and jewels for the maintenance of those temples. Tirumalai was a great Jaina center in the Chola period and continues to be Jaina religious center till today. It was also known as Srisailapuram. The early history of Tirumalai mentions only the cave and bas-relief temples. At present there are three caves, which are one over the other, in which the Jaina monks had lived. The lower cave, the biggest, is 25' above the ground level. Later, a structural temple was built over it.
Kundavai installed a four feet Nēminātha at the sanctum of Kundavai Jinālaya. It is seated on a throne in a meditating posture. As there was damage to this sculpture, it is kept in the mahamandapa of the temple and was replaced by a new sculpture in the 15th century AD.
The other rock of the lower cave contains sculptures in rows. There is a big and beautiful 16 feet sculpture of Nēminātha on a Lotus pitha in the long sanctum on the western side of the rock. This was also known as Sikhāmaņinātha. This structural temple of Nēminātha was constructed in the reign of Rājarāja I by Kundavai and hence, known as the Kundavai Jinālaya in the epigraphs. At the ground level, there is a temple of Mahāvīra and at the top of the hill, there is a small temple of Pārsvanātha. It is the only Jaina temple in which there are shrines of Nēminātha, (Plate XLIII) Mahāvīra, (Plate XLIV) and Pārsvanātha (Plate XLV) at different levels all in the same place. There are prăkaras for the two temples at the lower cave. The cave temples, bas-reliefs and structural temples belong to different periods.
Kundavi Jinälaya contains the sculpture of Dharmadēvi, Gömatīśvara, Ādinātha (Plate XLVI), Pārsvanātha on the western part of the big cave. Dharmadēvi is well decked with jewelry and surrounded by two children and a maid. Next to Dharmadēvi stands the figure of Gomatēśvara, known as Bahubali with one sister on each side. His sisters are decorated with beautiful ornaments from head to foot. The third sculpture is that of Adinātha, the first Tirthankara seated on a throne in penance. The last sculpture in this panel is that of Pārsvanātha, seated in penance under a multi-hooded snake. Dharanēndra kneels before him and Padmavathi holds the umbrella over the head of Pārsvanātha. During Rājarāja I's period also there were many public activities. Certain Kanisekharamaru Porsuriyar alias Gunavīramāmunivar caused the construction of a bund to store water.
In the 17th year of Rājarāja I grants were made for two perpetual lamps in the big monastery at Tirunarunkondai, and a Jaina village (Pallichandam) in South Arcot District.