[sandeepmdas]

This is my first travel story on TBHP. I'm writing this because, AFAIK, there hasn't been a thread about the Chitharal Jain Temple ruins in our forum. The point behind this post is just to fill that vacuum; I am sure many TBHPians will find this place interesting and duly return to our forum with excellent threads. This is simply a pilot contribution from me.

I came across a Wikipedia article about the ancient Jain temple in southern Tamil Nadu while idling on a weekend last month. On an impulse, I decided to take a solo drive to the temple. I live in southern Kerala, and the temple, dating back to the 1st century CE, is located about 86 kilometers away from my home. However, most of the journey would be on the dreaded NH66 "highway". I chose to take a different route, avoiding the highway and going through the rural eastern side of the Trivandrum District. This increased the distance to 92 kilometers, but the drive actually made me more relaxed, with a meandering route that brought a smile to my face as I drove my 7-year-old Duster 110 AMT. I deliberately chose the Duster for the solo trip over my new XUV700 AWD, because the Dusty has very few bells and whistles and I can drive with a cool head.

I knew no one in my family would be interested in visiting such an obscure place, and I wanted to take my time to fully explore the temple and its surroundings.

The Chitharal Jain Monuments and Bhagavati Temple are located in Chitharal, a small village about 4 kilometers north of Kuzhithurai town in Kanyakumari District, the southernmost district in mainland India. The monument is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). To enter, you need to provide your name, place, and phone number at the gate. There's a paved parking area and a bus stop right across from the gate, with a parking fee of 40 rupees.

There's a 700-meter walk from the gate to the temple site. The path is not motorable, but well-paved and maintained by the ASI, and it's exceptionally clean. However, it's quite steep and lacks shade, despite the greenery around. There is also no water available on the way.

Before entering the temple gate, it's advisable to buy or bring plenty of water or soft drinks. There are a couple of shops selling these items right across from the bus stop. In my opinion, the 700-meter walk may not be suitable for those with health conditions.

But once you make it, it's a truly serene experience. There are no crowds other than some reel-makers; only cool, strong winds, trees, and herbs all around, creating a peaceful atmosphere. Here are some pictures.

On the way to the temple, next to Neyyar Reservoir.


The pathway to the temple, on the way back to the gate


You're almost there, and this lobby is very windy


Natural and man-made.


Believe me, this is the temple entrance.


Bas-reliefs. The temple has two sides; one is Jain (1st century to 900 CE) and Hindu (9th century to 14th century CE, but still open for worship). This is the Jain side.


You can almost see the Arabian sea


Green mansions.


Note that shadow of the clouds.


The more older Jain side is carved into the rock crop, or a natural cave was expanded. The relatively new Hindu temple was extended slightly south of it.


The entire temple sits on a rock.


The iconography depicted here is strictly in accordance with the textbook Manasara Silpa Shastra, according to the experts. This ancient book has 70 chapters and one of them is dedicated to the Jain iconography.


Goddess Ambika (Ambica) accompanied by a lion and attendants.


Mahavira in Ardha-padmasana pose. He is the predominant one depicted here.


Could be Padmavati.


According to Wikipedia, each of these was sponsored by an ascetic or a donor whose names are carved along with the work. I didn't find any, however.


Waited for the rain, in vain.

[sandeepmdas]

Despite the rocks, there's a heart-shaped pond with perennial water almost on top of the hill, opposite to the temple. However, the water is greenish in color.


Six pillars dominate the edifice of the Bhagavati temple, which is functional. The temple is apparently built or converted circa 9th century CE, but the edifice was built in 13th century CE.


Stairway leading to the pond is certainly not that old, and you can see ancient steps on the far side of the pond. I found the position of them intriguing. Maybe they wanted to access water facing the east? Never heard about such a custom before.


Stone and steel. Note the flat ceiling.


The first thing you note is the EB power meter.


It essentially says one Narayanan of Rajavallapuram donated money to the Bhagavati temple in Kollavarsham 425. That's 1249-50 CE. All inscriptions are in Tamil, in Vattezhuthu script. I found it very interesting, as the temple artwork is as prescribed by a great Sanskrit textbook, yet all inscriptions found were in Tamil. Someone might have translated Manasara, the textbook to Tamil, and then they might have educated the sculptors about the key takeaways of the book. Although I am not a Tamil speaker, I felt overwhelmed by the power, versatility and resilience of Tamil language.


Chitral inscription, dated to the 28th year of Vikramaditya Varaguna is the basis of the dating of this temple. He was a member of the Ay Monarchy.


Bas-relief of Mahavira. Note the three-tiered Chhatra or parasol over him.


The Bahgavati temple is functional. Therefore, I didn't take a picture of the deity.


There were many murals inside the temple till the early 20th Century. There
are some further inscriptions in the temple. Lighting is very low, since it is essentially a cave.


Watching the passage of time.


Very stoic...


Maybe UHD quality images can convey the beauty of the view.


Imagine the view on the day the work was started 1100 years back.


The staircase was added by the ASI. While it immensely helps the visitors, I cannot understand why they built a permanent one. A steel-fabricated staircase would have been better to maintain the originality of the temple.


A cloudy day is better to visit the site.


Could be a pillar?

[sandeepmdas]

Some more pictures.

Boundary of the temple.


Magnificent ruins.


Also note some ancient steps hewn into the rock.


I assume the presence of this natural water source and its unique heart-shape is probably the reason behind the selection of the temple site here.


Did they start the construction on a February 14? Just kidding.


Reel-makers taking all kind of risks possible.

[sandeepmdas]

Also paid a short visit to Pechipparai Dam (not to be confused with Peppara Dam, which is in Kerala). This is just 14 kms from the temple site.

Kudos to the Govt of TN for this:


M.I.C.E stands for Member of Institution of Civil Engineers.


Very scenic, despite the water level running alarmingly low.


Customer service number is not there, I guess no one would ever need it.


Note the water level.


Masonry is so beautiful.


Approachable, but I decided not to disturb him.


Erected by the Govt of TN on the 100th anniversary of the water works.


Not crowded, and clean


Pechipparai is the largest reservoir in the KK District.



It looks like the colonial-era equipment were all Chiranjeevis. And the master Engineer has decided to sleep next to them for forever.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Capri89]

Nice travellogue, Sandeep and superb pictures too.

Please also share the route map for this.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by Capri89

Please also share the route map for this.

This is from Trivandrum:
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Tr...3585?entry=ttu

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

is located about 86 kilometers away from my home. However, most of the journey would be on the dreaded NH66 "highway". I chose to take a different route, avoiding the highway and going through the rural eastern side of the Trivandrum District. This increased the distance to 92 kilometers, but the drive actually made me more relaxed, with a meandering route that brought a smile to my face

I am just 22kms away, and got the time to visit the place only last month. Nevertheless didn't even think of creating a travelogue. Thanks for posting a detailed travelogue on the Chitharal Jain Temple. There are many other historical places close by, where we may not visit but will make an effort to go see places that are hundreds of kilometres away.

Did you take the State Highway 3, now part of the Hill highway? Have seen the road when crossing it to go to Neyyar dam or to Netta. Always wanted to drive the length of the new road, which I believe is locally called as Nedumangad Highway and goes from Vellarada to Nedumangad.

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

Also note some ancient steps hewn into the rock.

Reel-makers taking all kind of risks possible.
Attachment 2498543

Agree that reel makers and nearby college kids are a bother, giving extra shouting work to the security guard posted there. Did you scale the rocktop? Asking cause I didn't see any pics and also you just showed the rock as reel makers taking risks. Actually it is a safe climb and you get breathtaking views, plus heavy gusts of winds.

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

There were many murals inside the temple till the early 20th Century. There
are some further inscriptions in the temple. Lighting is very low, since it is essentially a cave.

The temple was closed when we visited and we could only peer inside.

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

Also paid a short visit to Pechipparai Dam (not to be confused with Peppara Dam, which is in Kerala). This is just 14 kms from the temple site.

It looks like the colonial-era equipment were all Chiranjeevis. And the master Engineer has decided to sleep next to them for forever.

Remember visiting the dam around the mid 2000s, and I was just awestruck by all the old equipment. There was an old Fargo truck parked near the dam. I guess 50s/60s model. Remember climbing onto the cobwebbed interiors and discovering that old vehicles already had push start buttons. . Also if I remember correctly the British engineer had died while swimming in the catchment area.

[sandeepmdas]

Thanks!

Originally Posted by DicKy

I am just 22kms away... Nevertheless didn't even think of creating a travelogue.

I live just 4 kms from the famous Varkala beach cliffs, and I go there only when friends or relatives arrive from afar.

Originally Posted by DicKy

Did you take the State Highway 3, now part of the Hill highway? Have seen the road when crossing it to go to Neyyar dam or to Netta.

Yes, via Netta, through the Vaikuntam Estates. From Varkala - Attingal - Nedumangad - Aryanad route. Now part of Hill Highway.

Originally Posted by DicKy

Did you scale the rocktop? Asking cause I didn't see any pics and also you just showed the rock as reel makers taking risks. Actually it is a safe climb and you get breathtaking views, plus heavy gusts of winds.

No I didn't, your observation is correct. I thought of climbing the rock but decided not because A. it was something like it would rain in any moment. (But it didn't sadly) and wet moss-covered rocks can be very slippery and B. as I said, I attempted the drive alone, much to the chagrin of my family; decided not to push my luck too far,

Originally Posted by DicKy

There was an old Fargo truck parked near the dam. I guess 50s/60s model.

That Fargo now adorns the reception area of some resort IIRC. I have seen photos of it.

[raptor_diwan]

Great travelogue! The heart-shaped pond and the temple entrance look absolutely stunning.

[dileep]

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

This is my first travel story on TBHP. I'm writing this because, AFAIK, there hasn't been a thread about the Chitharal Jain Temple ruins in our forum.

Sandeep, thank you for this wonderful and informative write-up with so many insights and details. I wish and hope I can make it to this site someday (from way up in the north).

It is also interesting to note that Jainism had spread so deep into the South of India.

Are there any Buddhist sites too? Considering that Buddhism went all the way through to Sri Lanka and had/has a considerable following there.

[sandeepmdas]

Originally Posted by dileep

Are there any Buddhist sites too? Considering that Buddhism went all the way through to Sri Lanka and had/has a considerable following there.

Thanks!

I am not at all an expert of archeology or iconography; I only have a fascination for history and museums. I am sure there will be numerous other TBHpians who can answer your question with more authority.

That said, let me address the question: Buddhism was very dominant during the Mushika and Ay kingdoms. The former was in north Kerala/south Karnataka and the latter was in middle and south Kerala / south TN. This temple is sponsored by some of the Ay kings as mentioned. Many leading temples (Kodungallur etc.) still follow customs and rituals that are reminiscent of Buddhist ones.

Both Buddhism and Jainism faded when these kingdoms declined and eventually replaced. There's a Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_in_Kerala

The most iconic example of Buddhism in Kerala is a broken statue fondly named Karumadi kuttan. This granite statue was discovered from a canal in Alappuzha district which has no such natural black granite, being a coastal district. There are many theories about the damage visible, but a friend of mine (who's a PhD in Geology) has told me that it might have suffered a lightning strike during a very hot summer. His theory is: the statue was originally placed in an open air location, it received hot summer sunlight from morning to late afternoon and the afternoon there was a sudden thunderstorm with lightning. The black granite underwent extreme temperature changes within minutes and most probably suffered a direct lightning strike too. Such daytime thunderstorms commonly takes place in Kerala during the months of May and October.

So IMHO, while there are many Jain sites in Wayanad etc., there are hardly any Buddhist sites in Kerala other than this statue. Reason being, Buddhism has never really completely faded away from Kerala. It lives on in the form of ritual art, temple music and customs which are unique to Kerala.

[Kkumar]

What a great travelogue. I’m from TVM and to be frank this is the first time I’m hearing about this place. In fact just a few months back I went via the same route to visit Thriparappu Waterfalls. Thanks for bringing out such hidden gems.

[TN20CQ5187]

This is a great write up! My native house where my grandmother still lives is so close to this place i see the entrance arch from my balcony! Its our usual spot for a quick hike whenever we are bored. Loved the pictures too!

[kozhissery]

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

This is my first travel story on TBHP. I'm writing this because, AFAIK, there hasn't been a thread about the Chitharal Jain Temple ruins in our forum.

Good travelogue. It is true that there are many hidden gems in and around Trivandrum. This reminded me of my visit to Chitharal (Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT - A foray into the world of adventure biking) some time back and I had just penned down a visit log only.