23rd
June 2019.
The visit to this Jain monument was a part
of the Edakkal Caves and Karnataka Temples Visit. After our Karnataka temple visit,
we started from Gundlupete to Edakkal
Caves. On the way, we had this Jain
Temple restored by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) from ruins at
Kidanganad, a part of Sultan Bathery. The original name of Ganapathi Vattam was changed to Sultan Battery, and the same was corrupted to the present name of Sultan Bathery. Usually, the custom of building temples in
Kerala is with Wood; on the contrary,y this
Jinalaya was built with granite stones. It was said that the Tippu Sultan used this Jain Temple / Basadi / Jinalaya to store arms and ammunition.
As per
ASI, this Jinalaya is one of the few 9th
to 15th-century ancient Jain Temples that exist in Kerala. Jainism received patronage from the Chera
Kings of the Magothayapuram and Ay (?) Kings of South India. However, Jainism declined after the 11th to 12th Century. As per the
records in and around Sultan Bathery (Battery), 12 streets have Jain
populations. The Hannera Bidi (12 streets) is one of the traditional Jain settlements in Sultan Bathery. The Sultan Battery was known as Ganapathi Vattam
in inscriptions. This Jain Temple is
datable to the 14th Century CE on stylistic grounds. This is an example of a cloistered temple facing east, which consists
of a Sanctum, antarala, closed maha mandapa, mukha mandapa, and a Namaskara
mandapam.
The sanctum is square and without images. However, the lalata Bimba and the closed maha mandapa contain sacred Jain images. These are shown in padmasana with dhyana mudra. One image depicts a Lotuson. The door jambs are decorated with different motifs.
THE TEMPLE ARCHITECTURE
The
sanctum has a circumambulatory mandapa as a pathway. The
maha mandapa, followed by a mukha mandapa, is accessed through a flight of steps.
Its balustrade is decorated with yazhi motifs. The mukha mandapa stands on a molded
padma banda adhistana containing upana,
jagathy, padma, tripatta kumuda, gala, and pillars, which are highly evolved types and
are decorated with various designs such
as floral motifs, sarba bandha (entwined serpents), garland decorations, stylized
Vajra, Tirthankara, goose, etc. All Tirthankaras are not shown with Mukkudai (triple umbrella).
The
detached Namaskara mandapam is supported by 4 pillars. The two pillars have the
Tirthankara (?) reliefs without Mukkudai. In addition to this, old structural parts are also kept
on display. Its roof is missing now. The temple originally had a cloistered wall, which is now in ruins. This
monument is under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Pillars of Namaskara mandapam
Pillar Pothyal / Capital
HOW TO REACH:
Sultan
Bathery is easily accessible from Gundlupete of Karnataka through Bandipur
Tiger Reserve and National Park forest. (Please note this route is closed
during nighttime for the movement of animals.)
From
Mysuru / Mysore
Sultan
Bathery is 97 km from Kozhikode.
LOCATION OF THE JAIN TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
A Nagabandam relief
---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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