Sunday 18 August 2019

JAINS TIRTHANKARAS AS BAS RELIEFS AT SRI MEENAKSHI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE, SENDALAI, THANJAVUR DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

27th July 2019.
The visit to this Sendalai temple was a part of Kumbakonam Heritage Walk organized  by "Yaaooyaakay" - யாஊயாகே”  and "Celebrate Kanchi" on 27th and 28th July 2019. This place Sendalai is on the banks of river Kudamurutti, a tributary to River Kaveri.

The temple is facing east with a 7 tier Rajagopuram. The Rajagopuram was built on a upa pedam and patha bandha  adhisthana. The prastharam is of kabotha style with nasis. The walls are supported by pilasters. The koshtas / niches are formed between pilasters. The niches are empty. The front side pilasters has the reliefs of Tirthankars in sitting posture and a Parshvanath. 

The Rajagopuram was reconstructed during Vijayanagara period. How come Jains Tirthankaras, Parshvanath bas-reliefs on the pilasters came to a Shiva Temple is not known. Historians/ researchers may give different opinion/reasons, but we are not interested to probe in to this. This article is to show that the Jain Tirthankaras on the pilasters of a Shiva Temple, Rajagopuram.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE






---OM SHIVAYA NAMA--- 

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