Religion and Culture of the Jains

Author(s): D C Sirkar
Publisher: University of Calcutta

Page 78

SM. R. CHAMPAKALAKSHMI
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which grants of palsivilāgam and palļiccandam were made by a local chief.68 A Gaņdarādittapperumpalli existed at Palliccandal (Jambai) in the South Arcot District.67
Tirakkol in the North Arcot District, which contains a big boulder with Jain sculptures, was another Jain centre of the early Cola period. Three inscriptions of a Parakesarivarman record gifts to the local Jain temple of Vardhamāna, which was known as Gangasūrapperum palli. 58 This village is also situated not far from Veļāl.
Among the Cõlas the most well-known benefactors of the Jains were Rājarāja ( and his elder sister Kundavai. The latter rebuilt the Jain temple at Tirumalai, which dates from much earlier times, and hence it came to be called Kundavai Jinālaya.59 She built another Jain temple, also called Kundavai Jinālaya, at Dādāpuram in the South Arcot District and made costly endowments to it.60 She was also the author of the Jain temple at Tirumalavādi in the Tiruchirappalli District.61 As mentioned earlier, Tiruppāņmalai in the North Arcot District received the patronage of Lāțarāja Vira Cāla 1993 A.D.), a feudatory of Rājarāja 1.6 2 The Jain temple of Appāņdār at Tirunarungondai in the South Arcot District also received the benefactions of Rājarāja I, and Kundavai seems to have caused a tank to be dug in the same place. 6S
Rajendra figures as the donor of the above temple 6 4 and the one at Tirumalai. A Virakeralaperumpalli existed at Salukki in the North Arcot District during his time. 6 5
56 Ibid., 1934-35, No. 84 ; Part II, para. 11. 57 Ibid., 1937-38, Nos. 446, 448. 58 Ibid., 1916, No. 277.
59 SII, Vol. I, No. 94. Tirumalai is called 'Tundirāhvaya Mandalārha Sugiri' in an 11th century inscription (Ep. Ind., Vol. VII, pp. 331ff.).
60 No. 8 of 1919. 61 SII, Vol. I, Nos. 67-68. 62 Ep. Ind., Vol. IV, pp. 137ff, 63 No. 385 of 1902. 64 No. 300 of 1939.40. 65 No. 474 of 1920.