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Jain Monuments in Tamil Nadu-A Brief Account from the early centuries of the pre-christian era with caverns containing Jain rock-beds and Brahmi inscriptions. Since it continued to be looked upon by the Jains as a fovourable centre, it saw rock-cut architecture and sculptures of the next phase of Jain activities. Similarly, the place saw structural activities too, at least from the time of the Rashtrakutas (Krisan II) and upto the Vijayanagara period. As in the case of Tiruppuruttikunram, here also the later features dominate the scene. Here the structural temples have come up around the natural caverns and rock-cut chambers of earlier phases of Jain activities. The structural temples of this place are seen in two complexes and assigned to the periods of Rashtrakuta, Chola, the Vijayanagara and the Nayaka rule. Broadly, the Chola features are dominatingly seen in the vimana while the Vijayanagara ones are seen in the mandapas and the gopuradwaras.
The main group of structures is at the foot of the hill, enclosed by a large prakara wall and provided with a lofty gopura-dwara at the east. This is the lowest floor or ground level of the structural complex. Here is seen the temple for Vardhamana Tirthankara, which has a typical southern tritala vimana. It has, axially closed ardhamandapa, mahamandapa and an open mukhamandapa. Painted scenes are seen at the base of the sikhara shell.
The next floor level or the terrace has another prakara enclosure with a modest gopuradwara but without super structure. The temple inside this enclosure has a square sanctum with the ardhamandapa and an open mukhamandapa in front.
The next or the top most terrace also has a shrine constructed so close to the bulging rock-scrap in such a way that it is in proper alignment with the cavernous recession where the inner shrines have been excavated at different vertical stages. Staircases have been provided within the structural chambers for giving access to different terraces.
number of Neminatha, the 21s Tirthankara, about 162 feet in height is seen here. Besides this, a number of sculptures with inscriptions recording the names of the donors are also seen here. Paintings on Jain themes are also found in the old caverns, the interesting one being that showing the somovasarana scene and other decorative designs. Of the sculptures, the ones of the Jain Yakshis, Kushmandini and Dharmadevi are important from the point of sculptural beauty and fine execution. Chandranatha temple at Vijayamangalam This is a typical example of built Jain temple where we see the influence of the western Gangas, in its brickwork vimana though additions were made during later periods as in the case of the other living temples. This brick temple is square on plan and is dwitala type while the sikhara is on the octagonal form. The brickwork has been plastered over during the subsequent periods. The sanctum has the idol of Chandranatha. It faces south, Ardhamandapa and mahamandapa built in stone have been added at a later period. Further additions, such as mukhamandapa, agramandapa, pradara and gopura-dwara were made during the Vijayanagara periods. Here we can see the typical Vijayanagara pillars, the composite ones, in the mahamandapa. Of the various classes of sculptures, the ones
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