SAMANAR- KUDAGU TEMPLE

This temple is also associated with an Arayan of Telugu origin. There is an inscription which registers sale of land by the Nagarattar to Thevan-periyan also called Mudikonda-chozha Telungai Araiyan for the conduct of daily worship to the Arumanikka -azhvaar of thirumer-koil. It appears that Thevan-periyan was an Arayan (sub caste of Muthuraja in Tamilnadu)and he was also Telungai (belonging to Telungu speaking origin).

Opposite of the structural stone temple Vijayala Choleeswaram, there are two cave temple excavated on the steep slope of the rock. Of these, the one on the northern side is popularly called Samanar-Kudagu (Cave of the Jains).

This cave temple is also called “Padhinen Bhoomi Vinnagaram “. Padhinen refers to the eighteen regions (Seats of the corporation of Ainurruvar). Vinnagaram means temple for Vishnu.

Perhaps, it was originally a Jain cave in the 7th century A.D. but converted in to a Vishnu shrine in 12 th or 13 th century A.D. The date of this conversion is still under debate.

After this conversion, it came to be called as Thirumer-koil or Merrali and Padhinen Bhumi Vinnagaram. Presently it looks like a Vaishnavite shrine.

It consists of a rectangular garbha-griham and an ardha- mandapam in front, both excavated from the living rock.

Presently the garbha graham is empty except for a broken stone peetham. This peetham is also carved out of the living rock. The ardha-mandapam has two massive pillars and two pilasters in the front, also carved out of the rock. It houses twelve identical but wonderful relief sculptures of Vishnu on the walls. Each of them six feet five inches tall and carved on the rock. (The shanku, konch,chakra,discuss). The garments and the ornamentations deserve praise. One of the lower hands is in the abhaya mudra.(pose indicative of protection)and the other touches the thigh. The twelve figures perhaps represent those of the twelve common names of Vishnu. Kesava, narayana,Madhava, Govinda, Thrivikrama, Vamana, Achyutha, Sreedhara, Padmanabha, Damodhara, Vasudeva and Madhusoodhana.

In front of this cave temple is a stone plinth of the maha-mandapam. Judging from the remains, this mandapam must have been a closed one supported by squire pillars, with walls ornamented with pilasters crowned with capitals.

On the plinth of this mandapam,above the kumudam, runs a beautiful frieze of lions, elephants and vyalis. At the corners are projecting makara heads with human figures sporting inside their gaping mouths. Carved with loving care, these graceful figures of elephants, lions and vyalis in playing are one among the finest in existence in this region. They exhibit high levels of creativity, artistic skill and imagination of the sculptures.

There are a number of loose sculptures broken parts sculptures kept on this plinth and also inside the ardha-mandapam. Those on the plinth include two dwara palakas, a Sapta -Matrika group and Ayyanar. Those inside the ardha-mandapam include two Ganesas. All these sculptures excavated in and around Narthamalai.

There is an inscription on the molded basement dated in the 45^th year of the Chozha king Kulottunga 1 (1115 A.D). This inscription registers a sale of land by the Nagarattar to Thevan-Periyan also called Mudikonda Chozha Thelungai Araiyan for the conduct of daily worship to the Arumanikka Azhvar of Thirumer –Koil.

There is also another inscription dated 1228 A.D on the rock, north of the cave temple (PSI 281) of the reign of Mara Varman Sundara Pandya 1 mentioning that the western temple was consecrated and in it were installed the idols of Vishnu and those of his consorts.

So the date of conversion of the Jain cave in to the Vishnu shrine is still under debate.