Friday, March 9, 2018

Subramanya Swamy Temple, Vallimalai – Jain Caves

Subramanya Swamy Temple, Vallimalai – Jain Caves
Vallimalai had been one of the important Jaina centers during the early medieval period. There is another way to climb down from Vallimalai Murugan Temple and half way through that, there are caves, where Jain saints stayed and Jain Sculpture are present in the rocks which are also being maintained by ASI. The Jain Caves has three groups of Jain images at different places.




First group has Parsvanatha, Adinatha, Sruta Devi and Matanga Yaksha. Second group contains Adinatha and Mahavira flanked by Matanga and Siddhayika. Third group has a row of 6-seated images except for the third image; others represent monks of the Mulasangha at Sravana-Belagola in Karnataka. A separate boulder has Ambika and a Tirthankara. They exhibit western Ganga styles. Best examples of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Jaina relations.



According to the inscriptions found in the lower cave, King Rajamalla of Eastern Ganga dynasty and a Vana dynasty King together spent money to carve the caves for Jain monks in 890 AD. The famous Jain preceptor Ajjanandi also visited this place and requested the Kings to carve several Thirthankar statues on the walls of the lower caves.