Uttamapalayam Jain hill / Jain cave / Jain Tirthankara sculptures / உத்தமபாளையம் சமணக் கோயில் / உத்தமபாளையம் திருக்குணகிரி சமணப்பள்ளி, Theni District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this 9^th Century, Pandya Period Jain Tirthankara Sculptures at  Karuppanna Swami Kundru also known as Tiruguņagiri, ( during 9^th Century ) was a part of “Mangala Devi Kannagi’s Adichuvattil Heritage walk” - organised by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatrua Ayvu Sangam, on 22^nd – 23^rd April 2024.

This group of 19 bas relief images of Tirthankaras are beautifully carved in two rows on the Karuppanna Swami Rock / Kundru, at Uttamapalayam in Theni District, previously under Madurai District. This group of Tirthankara images are carved facing east side of the boulder. A Mandapam was built during recent years.  Out of 19 Tirthankara images, 8 Tirthankaras are Parshvanath / Suparshvanath Tirthankaras images in Kayothsarga posture with 5 headed / 7 headed snake hood over the head. The rest are the Mahavir and other Tirthankaras in ardha padmasana sitting postures. Samaratharis / whisk bearers, triple umbrella / mukkudai are shown above the head. In some of the images  only whisks / samaras are shown, instead of samaratharis.

9^th Century Pandya period Tamil vattezhuthu inscriptions are inscribed above and below the images. Out of 9 Tamil Vattezhuthu inscriptions, one inscription records the grant of 11 Kasus for burning a lamp for which 11 kasus are gifted as capital and interest earned to be utilised for this endowment. The rest of the inscriptions records the names of the donors for carving the images.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Reference AR No 722 / 1905, SII.VOL.XIV. NO.69.

This Vatteluttu record, dated in the 2+18^th year of the reign of Sadalya- Māran, is much damaged and refers to some Tirthappalli, the Jains temple, and to Korkai in Kuda-nădu.

1.ஸ்வஸ்திஸ்ரீ கோச்சடை மாற(ர்)க்கு யாண்டு இர

2.ண்டு இதனெதிர் பதினெட்டு குட

3.நாட்டு (கொற்)கை நாட்டு மு...இனசா... (ம )

4.னென்திருக்க...மூன்றுபுத்த...கள் சிரிக்

5.தீர்த்தபள்ளிஇல்...

Reference ARE, 723/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 120

The 9^th Century  Pandya King period Tamil Vattezguthu inscription on the Karuppanaswami Rock, below the first image,  a much damaged records the image was made by Siddha……., son of a person whose name is lost, hailing from the Village Venbaikkarai in Venbaikudi Nadu.

1.ஸ்ரீவெண்பைக்கு

2.டிநாட்டு

3.வெண்பைக்குடி

4...ட...குழு....

5...தன்மக

6.ன்சித்த..

7...

Reference ARE, 721/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 121

The 9^th Century Pandya period Tamil Vattezhuthu damaged inscription, below the second Jaina image carved on the Karuppaņņaśvami rock, records the names  of persons like Villikugandi-ti....   and Chandraprabha of Venbunādu.

The name of the first person referred to may be Villikurandi-tirthabhațāra.

1.ஸ்ரீவெண்புணாட்டு

2. வில்லிக்குறண்டித் தி

3..ரும்...க..,மவ

4....சந்திரபிரபன்

5.க்கு

Reference : ARE, 725/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 122.

The 9^th Century  Pandya King period Tamil Vattezguthu inscription on the Karuppanaswami Rock, below the third image, records that the sacred image was made by Arishtanemiperiyar, the disciple of Ashtopavasi Kanakaviran.

1.ஸ்ரீ அட்டோபவாஸி கனக

2.வீரர் மாணாக்கர் அரிட்ட

3.னேமிப் பெரியார் செய்

4.த திருமேனி

Reference ARE, 726, 727 and 731/1905, SII., Vol. XIV, Nos. 123, 124, 127-A. are very much Damaged.

Reference : ARE, 728/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 125.

The 9^th Century Pandya period Tamil Vattezhuthu damaged inscription, below the ninth Jaina image carved on the Karuppaņņaśvami rock,  is a fragmentary and last part is completely lost. It mentions as Sengudi Nadu.

The damaged inscription Seems to be states that the image was caused to be made by a person from Sengudi Nādu.

1.ஸ்ரீ செங்குடி நாட்டு

2....டி (பந)ம

Reference : ARE, 729/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 126.

The 9^th Century Pandya period Tamil Vattezhuthu damaged inscription, below the tenth Jaina image, on the Karuppannaswami Rock, records that the image was caused to be made by Ajjanandi.

Ajjanandi figures in Anamalai and Aiyampāļayam inscriptions also. It may refer to one and the same person who caused the Jaina images to be made in all these places.

1.ஸ்ரீ அச்சணந்

2.தி செயல்

Reference ARE, 730/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 127.

The 9^th Century Pandya period Tamil Vattezhuthu damaged inscription, below the eleventh Jaina image, on the Karuppannaswami Rock, States that this was the work of ………. Kichchiyar of the village Valaippațţiśālai.

Obviously, it records that the image was caused to be made by a person from Valaippattiśālai.

1.ஸ்ரீ வாழைப்பட்

2.ச்சாலை

3 .கிச்சியா

4 ர் செயல்

Reference ARE, 732/1905, SII, Vol. XIV, No. 128.

The Karuppanna Swami rock containing Jaina images at Uttamapalayam was called Tiruguņagiri, and the palli was under the control of a monk whose name is not mentioned in the inscriptions.

The 9^th Century Pandya Period Tamil Vattezhuthu inscription on the boulder near Karuppannaswami rock, records a grant of 11 kasu by Ananta- vira-adigal for a lamp to the god Tiruguņa- giridēva and states that the adigal in-charge of the palli should burn the lamp with the interest accruing out of the money granted.

The 9^th Century, Pandya King Sadaiyamāran’s ( Srimāra Srivallabha ) 20^th reign year ( 835 CE ), Tamil Vattezhuthu inscription above the three images in the first row on the Above the first three images in the first row, on the Karuppannaśvami rock, a much damaged record ( The details of the record are not given in the epigraphical report ).

1.ஸ்ரீ குணகிரித் தேவர்க்கு திருவிளக்கு

2.க்கு அனந்த வீர அடிகள் அட்டின காசு பதிநொ

3.ன்று இக்காசின் பொலிகொண்டு தேவர்க்கு முட்

4.டாமைச் செலுத்துவாராநொர் இப்பள்ளியுடை அ

5.டிகள் அறம் வேண்டுவா ரிது பிழையாமை செய்க

Reference :

South Indian Inscriptions Vol. XIV.

Jain Inscriptions in Tamil Nadu ( A topographical List )

LOCATION OF THIS JAIN MONUMENT : CLICK HERE

A Muthu Karuppana Swamy.. suspected to be tirthankara

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---