Chitharal Jain Tirth

Chitharal, Tamil Nadu

Chitharal Jain Temple is a famous Jain Temple. It is Located in the Marthandam town of Kanniya Kumari district, Tamil Nadu.

Chitharal is historically known as Thirucharanathupalli the abode of Jain monks belonging to Digambara Sect.

It is famous for the hillock which has a cave containing rock-cut sculptures of Thirthankaras and attendant deities carved inside and outside dating back to the 9th century.

Jain influence in this region was due to the King Mahendra Verman-I (610-640). It was converted into a Bagavathy Temple in the 13th Century AD.

Chitharal hills are locally called Chokkanthoongi Hills. Now this place is famous for hillock. The temple is a protected monument under Archeological Survey of India (ASI).

At the foot of the Thirucharanmalai hillock, one can see a stylish Kerala Style Arch made of rocks. It was built thousands of years ago, but the Jain temple was overtaken by Hindus in the 425 AD.

Inside the temple, stone carvings ‘thirucharanam’ was written instead of ‘Thiruchanattu'. ‘Charanan’ was the name given to Jain monks. The Goddess worshiped here is ‘Thirucharanathu Bhataariyar - Padhmavathi’.

Parshwanathan and Mahavira idols are carved in the temple. The scripts written there are in ‘vatta ezhuthu’.

It is believed that the 'Vikramaditya Varagunan', the founder of the temple, is the King Vikramaditya in Indian history.

Amongst several exquisite rock-cut sculptures found in this cave is the prominent one is an image of Goddess Shri Dharmadevi. The cave was converted into a goddess temple during the 13th century.

Another main attraction at the top hill is two large rocks facing each other, and one can explore whole beauty of the foot through the small window created by these rocks.

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Address  : Chitharal Malay Koil Road, Chitharal, Vellomcode, Marthandam, Tamil Nadu - 629177

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Mail to : Ahimsa Foundation
www.jainsamaj.org
R080519