Sri Cudnem Digambar Jain Temple, Cudnem

Address

Sri Cudnem Digambar Jain Temple, Gujir Devul Cudnem, Bicholim taluk North Goa District Goa 403505

Diety

Tirthankaras

Introduction

Cudnem is an erstwhile town of the Chalukyan period situated in Bicholim taluk of North Goa District. It is located within 3 km from the Aravalem Caves. An ancient Jain Temple belonging to the Vijayanagar period is an important landmark. Recent excavations have unearthed a few interesting structures – the temple consists of a Mukhamantapa and a Garbagriha are constructed of laterite on a 2 meter high platform. The sculptural structure of the idol indicates that the temple belongs to the Kadamba period. A lot of Lime mortar found during the excavations indicates its use as a binding material. This is the only medieval temple of Goa which has a “Nagara” (Indo-Aryan) architectural feature. The high platform and the tall Shikara give a sense of soaring height to the temple. A “Prakara” wall with a base of pillars has also been unearthed. This Jain temple is similar to the Saptakoteshwar temple of Narve and the Chandranath temple of Paroda. It is possible that this temple was the forerunner of these architecturally similar temples. The excavations around the Cudnem Jain temple have contributed significantly to the history of Jainism in Goa.

Special Features

The 8 X 8.30 meters “Mukha Mandapa” consists of four pillars in the centre and four others on each side wall, it has a gabled roof with tiles. The laterite blocks discovered during the excavations indicate the existence of arches in the Mukka Mandapa. These arches were probably constructed with a laterite floral pendant at the center of the arch. One such floral pendant has been discovered in a recently conducted excavation. The presence of these arches strongly suggests that there was an overlying dome covering the temple. The entrance of garbagriha has an arch. The octagonal “Shikara” of the “Garbagriha” has five tiers. The lowermost is half-spherical with a rectangular small entrance for the “Garbagriha”. A broken stone head of a “Tirathankara” with beautifully sculpted curls was also found near the “Garbagriha”. A stone torso of a Jain “Tirathankara” with a “Srivasta” symbol was also unearthed.