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A Continuation Post - Arani, A Heritage Visit
18th March 2017.
Our
next destination was a Jain Temple also called ARUGAR Koil at Poondi, near Arani.
The main deity is Adinath also called Ponezhil Nathar. This temple faces east
with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. Renovation and reconstruction were in progress during
our visit. There are 3 panels of Tirthankaras kept inside the sanctum.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
During
this renovation, the outside granite walls were sandblasted and the old
inscriptions have become unreadable. As per the inscriptions the temple was
constructed in the Chozha architecture style during 1305 AD by the Sambuvarayar King
called Veerasamban with a granite stone base and a brick superstructure.
Hence the temple was called “Veera Veera Jinalaya”.
There
are sannidhis for Dharma Devi, Brahma Devar, Saraswathy, Lakshmi, Chakreshwari,
Chandraprabha Nathar, Jwalamalini, Padmavathy, and Navadevdha.
ARCHITECTURE
The
main temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, artha mandapam and
Mukha mandapam. In the sanctum, the five-foot Parshvanath reliefs in standing posture are installed on a pedestal. Over the head carvings of a headed snake with its
tail runs up to the feet. The sanctum has a 2 tier vimanam with stucco
images of Jaina monks in standing posture.
The
temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India ( ASI ) as a
protected monument in Tamil Nadu.
HOW TO REACH:
This
Jain Temple is 3 KM from Arani on the Arcot Road in the Thiruvannamalai district.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
For
further reading please refer to the Tamil Nadu Tourism website
…
To be continued ( S.V. Nagaram Aranmanai or the Palace )
---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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