Tirthankara, Three Tier Jain Beds and Tipu Sultan's Mosque, at Kurangu Malai, near Vellore, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu.

23^rd December 2018.

This visit to the "Kurangu Malai" was a part of the Vellore Heritage Walk organized by the History of Vellore Facebook Group. Our last program of this heritage walk was to visit this hill. The bottom of the hill has the Jain Tirthankara and the unique three-tier beds, and the top of the hill has the Tippu Sultan Mosque.

TIRTHANKARA & THREE-TIER JAIN BEDS.

This hill bottom has naturally formed bubble-like shelters. One of the local village boys has found a Neolithic tool in the hill area. This indicates that the natural caves have been used as a shelter during the prehistoric period. The natural caves had beds carved on the surfaces during the Jain occupation. The ground level has 7 beds, the second level has 2 beds, and the top level has one bed. The method adopted to climb up is not known since there is no ladder or steps carved.

  

A headless Tirthankara statue is also found in front of the cave. The Tirthankara could not be identified for want of lanchanam. Samatharis / whisk bearers are faintly visible.  The beds and the Tirthankara indicate that a Jain school with a worshiping place / Jinalaya might have existed during the Jains’ occupation.

HOW TO REACH:    

On the Vellore – Chennai, Mumbai National Highway, travel towards Melakuppam from Puttuthakku Junction. After 5 km, the hill at Sanarakuppam may be reached.  From the road, one has to travel on foot for about a KM inside a private farm to reach the Jain Caves.

LOCATION: Lat 12 deg 55' 48.11" and Long 79 deg 13'26.33"

TIPPU SULTAN MOSQUE.

To climb up the hill, there is no proper step or way. We have to trek around the hill, and in one place, stones are stacked to form a step. On top, there are two water ponds along with a Mosque. The trace of the outer premises wall can be seen around the mosque. Only the Mosque built with a brick structure is standing without a roof. The walls are not plastered.  There is a doubt about whether this Mosque was completed and used. Further research is required to find the answer.

The boy with the Neolithic tool was found near Kurangu Malai.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---