The Chitharal Jain Monuments; Also Known As Chitharal Malai Kovil Literally Temple On The Hill, Chitharal Cave Temple Or Bhagwat Royalty-Free Stock Photo

The Chitharal Jain Monuments; also known as Chitharal Malai Kovil literally Temple on the Hill, Chitharal Cave Temple or Bhagwathi Temple, Chitral; are situated on the Thiruchanattu Malai Thiruchanattu hillocks near Chitharal village, Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. Chitharal hills are locally known as Chokkanthoongi Hills. There are two monuments. The earlier rock-cut Jain structure of beads with inscriptions and drip-ledges is the earliest Jain monument in the southernmost part of India which was from first century BC to sixth century AD. The temple monuments were likely built by Digambara Jains in the ninth century when the region was under influence of Jainism.[3] Jain influence in this region was due to the King Mahendravarman. According to T. A. Gopinatha Rao who visited the monuments in 1920-21, the inscription on the southern side says a Jain priestess called Gunandagi- kurattigal, the disciple of Arattanemi - Bhatariyar of Peravakkudi, presented Bhatariyar of Tiruchchanam malai with a metallic lamp stand and a golden flower during the 28th year of reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna Pandya. It was a Jain training centre for both males and females in past. The inscription is in old Tamil script known as Vatteluthu.