The Visit to this hill Jambai was a part of Tiruvannamalai Heritage Walk organized by the Tiruvannamalai District Historical Research Center on 30th December 2018. After visit to the Jambai Sri Jambunatha Swamy / Jambukeswarar Shiva temple, our next visit was to this Jambai hill. Had our lunch at an Amman Temple on the banks of Jambai Lake. From the Amman Temple started trekking the hill to see the inscription, Jain beds and prehistoric paintings. The hill has many natural shelters formed by the boulders and rocks. Second time also visited as a part of Villupuram Heritage Visit organised by History Trails on 24-25th July 2021.
JAMBAI INSCRIPTION.
One of the shelter at Dasi madam, has the brahmi inscription and the same reads as..
“sathyaputho Athiyan Neduman Anji Eeththa paaLi.
( ஸதியபுதோ அதியந் நெடுமாந் அஞ்சி ஈத்த பாளி ).
This famous inscriptions contains 24 letters, has given the key to the missing link of “Sathya Puthira” mentioned in 3rd Century BC Mauryan King Ashoka’s inscription, inscribed in 4 places. The Jambai inscription was identified by an Archaeological student Ka. Selvaraj in 1981 and an article was published by Dr R Nagaswamy, confirming, the mentioned “Sathya Puthira “ is only Adhiyaman.
The Maurya King Ashoka’s inscriptions inscribed in 4 places of the country reads as...
Kilark Inscription: யதா சோடா பண்டா சதியபுதோ கேதல புதோ
Kalsi Inscription : யதா சோடா பாண்டிய சதியபுதோ கேதல புதோ
Joukatha inscription: அதி சோட பாண்டிய சதியபுத ( இதில் கேரள புத்ர இல்லை)
Sabas Inscription: யி… பாண்டிய சதியபுத்ர கேதல புத்ர.
In the above inscriptions, the Indian Historians are able to identify Chera, Chozha, Pandya and could not come to a conclusion who is that “Sathiya puthra”- சதியபுத்ர.
The Satya Putras ruled the Thagadoor area ( Krishnagiri area) in 3rd Century AD. They ruled Kongu, Kuthirai malai, East of Cauvery to South of Namakkal, keeping Thagadur as Capital. The Sangam period King Adhiyaman in 3rd Century AD, ruled this area keeping Thagadur as Capital. Since Jambai was not a part of Adhiyaman's territory, then how this inscription was inscribed in Jambai hills. To answer this the Historians quote the literatures. As per the literature, after conquering Malayaman Nadu’s king Thirumudi Kari, the Thirukovilur, Jambai were became a part of his territory. On the way to Thagadur, Adhiyaman gifted this carved beds to the Jain monks. This is a wild guess of the historians. As per the Historians the name “Sathya Puthran” mentioned in Jambai and four other places are about the same person, ie Adhiyaman. Dr Nagasamy also confirms the same and said Sathya Puthras ruled Thagadoor during sangam period. It is to be noted that the Jambai inscription is a mixture of sanskrit and Tamil. This was due to the influence of the Jain Monks who came from North.
ஸதியபுதோ அதியந் நெடுமாந் அஞ்சி ஈத்த பாளி
JAIN BEDS:
Little above the inscription shelter, there is a shelter in which 3 beds are carved on the rock surface. These beds are the one, which is referred in the Jambai inscriptions. These beds are carved by the Sathya Puthiran Adhiyan Nedumananji, who ruled this area in 3rd Century.
Medicinal grinding pit
ROCK PAINTINGS
The Jambai hill has many shelters which are continuously used from pre historic period to Jains period. The black and red pots broken pieces are the proof of the prehistoric period usage. The Paintings are like Sun rays / flower. The flower arrangement looks like a carpet. The paintings are done using red, yellow and black ochre.
STONE CHEKKU WITH INSCRIPTION
On return, we happened to see this stone Chekku half buried in the lake bed. Hope this chekku for extracting old made for the public usage by the donor or the King. 10th to 11th Century Tamil inscriptions are found on the face of the Chekku. Since the stone chekku was buried half in the lake bed, the inscriptions could not read completely.
LOCATION:
Purposely inverted the picture to read the inscription
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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