Aluruttimalai, Narthamalai
Aluruttimalai, also known as Ammachatram hill has a
natural cave on its northern slope. The cave contains four polished stone
berths on the floor. Two of them are hewn together as to form a double berth,
while the others have been carved to form single berth. The absence of any other datable evidence, especially inscriptions, makes it difficult to
ascertain the period of its first habitation by Jain monks.
The overhanging rock has two carved reliefs of
Thirthankaras seated in the dhyana posture with triple umbrellas above the
head. These images, probably representing the first and the last Jinas bear the
stylistic features of the tenth century, and indicate that these darshana
bimbas are not co-eval with the carving of the stone berths. The Jain images
carved on the overhanging rock were called Tiruppallimalai Alvar.
The
Aluruttimalai, also known as Ammachatram hill, is one among the Narthamalai
group of hills. It is situated north of Kottai-malai and is the northern most
among the Narthamalai hill group. It is famous for a natural cavern with
polished stone beds and other Jaina remnants.
The name Aluruttimalai means ‘man-rolling-hill’. This is
an elongated mass of rock with continuous steep incline on the northern side
and a sheer drop of over a hundred feet high on the south. According to a local
tradition, in former times criminals were rolled over the edge of this steep
cliff so that they were dashed to pieces on the rocks at the bottom. Some say
they were tied up in sacks and rolled down the steep slope.
Location
One can reach this place by taking a diversion from the
Pudukkottai – Tiruchirappalli highway at Ammachatram bus stop, the next stop
after Narthamalai, when you come from Pudukkottai. A mud road branches off the
main road to the west, near a beautiful pond with well laid stone steps and
containing full of lilies. This pond is called Ammachatram urani. A walk/drive
of about one kilometer takes the visitors to the vicinity of the Aluruttimalai.
Natural Cavern & Jaina Vestiges
On the eastern side of the Aluruttimalai, at the bottom
of the hillock, is the natural cavern, facing east. One can see this natural
cavern from the main road itself.
On the rock overhanging the cave are two relief
sculptures of Thirthankaras sitting in Dhyanam (meditation). Both of them have
mukkodai (triple umbrella) above them, indicating them to be Thirthankaras).
The one on the northern side has two attendants holding fly whiskers, flying
vidhyadharas.
On the floor of this cave are four polished stone beds
similar to those in the Ezhadippattam in Sittannavasal. Two of them have
been so hewn as to form a double bed, and two others are single beds.
There is also a broken sculpture of a Tirthankara,
sitting in Dhyanam (meditative). The Tirthankara is flanked by two attendants
holding fly whiskers and there are two flying figures of Vidhyadharas on the
top.
There is a damaged Tamil inscription (PSI 474) in front
of the cave, towards south, on the sloping rock. It belongs to the reign of an
unidentified Maravarman Sundarapandya. The inscription calls this hill
Tiruppallimalai (‘hill-containing-palli’), palli meaning a Jain temple, and
mentions two Jaina Acharyas, Dharmadeva Acharya, and his guru Kanaka Chandra
Pandita.
In the bushes and among the granite boulders, in front
of the cavern are a few broken parts of some granite structure. All these
evidence the great antiquity of the cave as a place of resort for the Jains.
