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 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 a capital of Kongu Nadu and it was also a capital for Kuruppa Nadu, one of the 24 sub divisions ( as Nadu ) of Kongu mandalam. Kuruppa Nadu was 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 trace of Jainism and Nirambaiyur had vanished from the map. The Tamil grammar ‘Nannul’ was authored by Bhavanandhi was from Seenapuram, ‘Silapathikara urai’ 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 believes that there might be a Tamil sangam 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 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 told 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 a un installed Nagar bas-relief on the east side wall.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple pathabhandha adhisthana. The artha mandapam was built with Niches and they are empty now. The Niches / Koshta thoranas has the reliefs of Brahma Devar with his consorts, Tirthankaras, Gajalakshmi etc,. The prastaram is of kapotha style with karnakood. The valabi has the padma reliefs. A ekathala stucco Dravida Vimana is on the sanctum sanctorum.

Temple view from Mandapam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built by the Gangas, before 9^th century. About 9 inscriptions were recorded from this temple. The inscriptions are in Tamil, kannada and Devanagari. These inscriptions belongs to 9^th Century ( may be 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 took sallekhana / fast until death.

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

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

The 15^th Century Kannada inscriptions speaks about 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 also translated from Paisasa Language “Birugath Katha”, in to Tamil Language as “Perungathai”.

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

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