Tirumalai

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Tirumalai (तिरुमलाई) is a Jain temple and cave complex dating from at least the 9th century that is located northwest of Polur in Tamil Nadu, southeast India.

Origin

Tirumalai (lit. "the holy mountain"; also later Arhasugiri, lit. "the excellent mountain of the Arha[t]"; Tamil Engunavirai-Tirumalai, lit. "the holy mountain of the Arhar")

Variants

• Arhasugiri
• Tirumalai (तिरुमलाई) (मद्रास) (AS, p.402)

History

The complex includes 3 Jain caves, 2 Jain temples and a 16-meter-high (52 ft) sculpture of Tirthankara Neminatha thought to date from the 12th century that is the tallest Jain image in Tamil Nadu.

The large cavern at the base of the site is thought to have been built around the 9th century. In the 10th century it was converted into 30 separate chambers, possibly to accommodate figures of Tirthankaras and a yakshi.

An inscription found on a buried rock in front of the gopura at the base of the hill from the late 10th century refers to the site as Vaigai-malai or “the mountain of Vaigai.” Two other inscriptions found on a piece of rock at the top of the hill and buried on a piece of rock underneath the steps between the gopura and the painted cave refer to it as Vaigai-Tirumalai or “the holy mountain of Vaigai.” The name Vaigai is thus thought to be connected with Vaigavur, the historic name of the village at the base of the rock.

तिरुमलाई

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर ने लेख किया है ...तिरुमलाई) (मद्रास) (AS, p.402) एक प्राचीन जैन मंदिर यहाँ का उल्लेखनीय स्मारक है. इस मंदिर का जीर्णोद्धार 1955-56 में पुरातत्व विभाग द्वारा किया गया था.