Seeyamangalam Rock Cut Jain Temple- Thiruvannamalai

Address

Seeyamangalam Rock Cut Jain Temple- Seeyamangalam, Vandavasi taluk, Tiruvannamalai district Tamil Nadu 604501

Diety

Trithankaras

Introduction

Seeyamangalam is a small village in Vandavasi taluk in Tiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Seeyamangalam village has more than 1500 years old heritage. Famous Buddhist Acharya and Philosopher Dignagar (6th century C.E.) was believed to be born in Seeyamangalam. This rock cut Jain temple was built by Western Ganga King Rajamalla II during the end of 9th century. This temple is seen in a hillock named Vijayadri (as per inscription of Rajamalla II) located northern side of Thun Andar Shiva temple. Inside the rock cut, recently a Mahaveerar statue is kept and worshipped by nearby Tamil Jains. On the top of the rock facing east, relief sculptures of Mahaveerar, Parshavanthar and Bahubali are seen. On the either side of Bahubali, his sisters Brahmi and Saundari are seen. On the top, left side of Bahubali, Indra sitting on elephant and right side, two Gandharvas are seen. The left hand of the Bahubali was damaged. The head of Parshavanathar is surrounded by five headed snake. The left and right side of Parshavanathar, his attendants Padmavathi and Daranendran can be seen. Both the images of Bahubali and Parshavanathar were carved in standing posture. The image of Mahaveerar, sitting in Sukhasana position on a Simhasana with his attendants on either side is seen at the extreme southern direction.

Puranic Significance

There are two inscriptions found in this hillock. First one is seen near to relief sculptures (right side of Mahaveerar) and it was engraved in Grantha script and Sanskrit language. It is a mixture of prose and poetry. It explains that Rajamalla established two temples for Jinaraja in Vidyadri (hillock) in Saka 815 (892-93 A.D). It also explains Arunkal-anvaya (school of Jain Monks), which was adorned by illustrious pontiffs, who had successfully crossed the vast expanse of the sea of knowledge of all the sciences, belonged to Nandi Sanga of Jinendra Sanga. Though the inscription mentions two temples, the second one is not yet found.