Sri Kurathi Malai Ancient Jain Hill, Onampakkam

Address

Kurathi Malai Ancient Jain Hill Venmari, Onampakkam, Madhuranthakam taluk Chengalpattu district, Tamil Nadu 603313

Diety

Parshvanathar

Introduction

This hillock is located northeast of Onampakkam and is very near L. N. Puram village. Parshavanthar (Parshva) image facing east, is nicely carved on a small rock and was built like a small temple. An image of a five headed snake which is covering the head of Parshavanathar and yakshan & yakshi (yakshini) on the either side are also seen. On the right side, an inscription in grantha and Tamil characters is seen. This inscription states that Vasudeva Siddhantha Padarar, a Jain monk who governed the “Irupathi Irandu branch of Tamil Jains, had built this temple. Rock carved images of Adhinathar (Adinath) and Mahaveerar (Mahavira) are also seen in two places at a few feet distance. These sculpture belongs to 8th Century AD. Ten stone beds are seen in two places on this hillock. One group of five stone beds are seen on the top of the hill. These beds are carved on a rock facing east. Above these beds, on a rock, a long narrow line were carved to protect the beds from water inflow. On the east of this hillock, another group of five stone beds are seen facing north. A dried pond is also seen on the hillock.