VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Shri 1008 Bhagwan Chandraprabhu Swami Digambar Jain Temple, Vijayamangalam, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

Wednesday, 13 November 2019

Shri 1008 Bhagwan Chandraprabhu Swami Digambar Jain Temple, Vijayamangalam, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

13^th November 2019.

The visit to this Shri 1008 Bhagwan Chandraprabhu Swami Digambar Jain temple was a part of the Kongu Temples Visit scheduled on 12^th and 13^th October 2019. Since my native Village Pappavalasu is close to Vijayamangalam, had been to this Jain temple twice. Apart from Jain temple Vijayamangalam also has the ancient Vijayapuri Amman, Nageswarar, and Kari Varadharaja Perumal temples.

Vijayamangalam was once the capital of Kongu Nadu and also the capital of Kuruppa Nadu, one of the 24 sub-divisions (as Nadu) of Kongu mandalam. Kuruppa Nadu once flourished with Jains and their Culture. The Jains-dominated places in Kuruppa Nadu are Vijayamangalam, Thingalur, Seenapuram, Chengapalli and Nirambaiyur. Of these Chengapalli does not have a trace of Jainism and Nirambaiyur had vanished from the map. The Tamil grammar ‘Nannul’ was authored by Bhavanandhi was from Seenapuram, ‘Silapathikara Urai’ by author Adiyarkku Nallar from Nirambaiyur, ‘Perungadhai’ written by Kongu Velir and Kongu Sathagam written by ‘Karmeka Pulavar’, all are from Kongumandalam, Kuruppa Nadu. Also, the idols of 5 Sangam period poets with palm leaves manuscripts in their hands are available in this Jain temple. Hence present Tamil scholars strongly believe that there might be a Tamil Sangam that exists at Vijayamangalam.

Moolavar: Sri Chandra Prabha Tirthankara. ( 8^th Tirthankara )

Some of the important features of this temple are...

The temple is facing south with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. ( Local people used to call this as nettai kopuram ). Believed to be a Manasthambam is in front of the Rajagopuram, since the top portion was damaged due to lightning. A Balipeedam is after the Rajagopuram. The temple complex consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam, maha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. In the sanctum, Sri Chandraprabhu Tirthankara is missing (It was said that the idol was stolen).

In the front mukha mandapam Adhinathar’s birth story is carved in the form of bas-reliefs/pudai sirpam on the beams, below the ceiling.

In the inner maha mandapam sannidhi for Kushmandini. Also idols of 5 Sangam period poets with palm leaves in their left hand. In the artha mandapam Mahavir and Adinath Tirthankaras.

There is a mandapa adhistanam / base on the east side. There is an uninstalled Nagar bas-relief on the east side wall.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple pada bhandha adhisthana. The artha mandapam was built with Niches and they are empty now. The Niches / Koshta toranas have the reliefs of Brahma Devar with his consorts, Tirthankaras, Gajalakshmi, etc,. The prastaram is of kapotha style with nasikood. The valabi has the padma reliefs. An eka tala stucco Dravida Vimana is on the sanctum sanctorum.

Temple view from Mandapam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built by the Gangas, before the 9^th century. About 9 inscriptions were recorded from this temple. The inscriptions are in Tamil, Kannada, and Devanagari. These inscriptions belong to 9the ^th Century (maybe Chozha’s/Ganga's period), 12^th Century Kulothunga Chozha-I, 13^th century Veera Rajendran, 13^th Century Kongu Pandyan Veerapandian and 15^th Century Vijayanagara King Vira Harihara Wodeyar.

The 9^th Century Pillar ( நிசீதிகை கல் ) with inscription and Mahavir and Puliappai’s reliefs is in the mukha mandapa. The inscription records Sri Samundarajan’s sister Puliappai observing sallekhana/fast until death.

Kulothunga Chozha-I, inscriptions record the donation of land for Naivedyam to this Veerasangatha Perumpalli Thevar.

The 13^th Century Kongu Chozha period inscription records the celebration of Vishu Ayana Sankranti and Karthigai to Kongu Velir Thevarachariyar and Thozhanmar. Another 13th-century Kongu Chozha Veera Rajendran period inscription records the Padaithalai Velalar’s Community by the name Thiruvanaikka Chokkan donated the door frames.

The 15^th Century Kannada inscriptions record the Kannada-speaking Archakas, who came from Karnataka.

The Devanagari inscription ( was broken ) records that The Gunaattiyar’s Udhyanan’s history in Paisasa language was translated in Devanagari by Ganga King Thurvi Neethan as “Birugath Katha”. The 5^th Century Kongu Velir was also translated from the Paisasa Language “Birugath Katha”, into the Tamil Language “Perungathai”.

The 15^th Century Vijayanagara King Vira Harihara Wodeyar’s, inscriptions speak about the donation of Chengapalli ( a nearby Village ) by the 5 Nadus, ( Vadaparisara Nadu, Vaingarai Nadu, Naloorpatru Nadu, Perur Nadu, and Kuruppa Nadu ) 5 subdivisions of Kongu mandala.

The temple is under the control of ASI and poojas are conducted from the Tamil Nadu Govt’s one kala pooja scheme.