Mallinathaswamy Jain Temple (மன்னார்குடி மல்லிநாதசுவாமி ஜினாலயம்)
[ :ta:மன்னார்குடி மல்லிநாதசுவாமி ஜினாலயம்] is a
Jain temple
A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings ge ...
dedicated to the deity
Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
, located in
Mannargudi
Mannargudi () is a town in Thiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mannargudi taluk. The town is located at a distance of from the district headquarters Thiruvarur, 36 km from Kumbakonam, 40 km fro ...
, an ancient town in the erstwhile
Chola Empire
The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BCE d ...
in
Tiruvarur District
Thiruvarur district is one of the 38 districts in the Tamil Nadu state of India. As of 2011, the district had a population of 1,264,277 with a sex-ratio of 1,017 females for every 1,000 males.
Geography
The district occupies an area of 2,161 ...
of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Mallinathaswamy or
Māllīnātha
Mallinatha (Prakrit ''Mallinātha'', "Lord of jasmine or seat") was the 19th tīrthaṅkara "ford-maker" of the present ''avasarpiṇī'' age in Jainism. Jain texts indicate Mālliṇātha was born at Mithila into the Ikshvaku dynasty to Ki ...
is the 19th Tirthankara of the Jain faith.
Other temples
There are also Jain temples in
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam (formerly spelt as Coombaconum or Combaconum) or Kudanthai is a city municipal corporation in the Thanjavur district in the States of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located from Thanjavur and from Chennai and is the headq ...
,
Thanjavur
Thanjavur (), also Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is the 11th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of South Indian religion, art, and architecture. Most of the Gr ...
,
Deepankudi and other places in Tamil Nadu.
History
This is an ancient temple built during the reign of the
Chola
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
dynasty in the twelfth century. It is very famous among all the ancient tirths of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. Apart from the idol of Bhagawan
Mallinathar which is divine and very impressive there are idols of Dharma Devi, Saraswathi Devi,
Padmavathy Devi
Padmāvatī is the protective goddess or śāsana devī (शासनदेवी) of Pārśvanātha, the twenty-third Jain tīrthāṅkara, complimenting Parshwa yaksha in Swetambara and Dharanendra in digambar the shasan deva. She is a yak ...
,
Jawalamalini
Jwalamalini or ( sa, ज्वालामालिनी, kan, ಜ್ವಾಲಾಮಾಲಿನೀ) is the Yakshini (guardian spirit) of the Eighth Tirthankara, Shri Bhagwan Chandraprabhu in Jainism and was one of the most widely invoked Yak ...
Amman and other in the temple which are also miraculous and impressive.
The temple has
sanctum sanctorum
The Latin phrase ''sanctum sanctorum'' is a translation of the Hebrew term ''קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים'' (Qṓḏeš HaQŏḏāšîm), literally meaning Holy of Holies, which generally refers in Latin texts to the holiest place of th ...
,
Rajagopura, artha
mandapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
, front
mandapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
and maha
mandapa
A mandapa or mantapa () is a pillared hall or pavilion for public rituals in Indian architecture, especially featured in Hindu temple architecture.
Mandapas are described as "open" or "closed" depending on whether they have walls. In temples, ...
. In front of the mandapa flagpost is found. Rajagopura has three tiers. The
vimana
Vimāna are mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The "Pushpaka Vimana" of Ravana (who took it from Kubera; Rama returned it to Kubera) is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also mentio ...
has two tiers. In the front mandapa Rishabadeva is found, flanked by two yakshas. The Mahamandapa is found in the Maratta style. In the
prakara
A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. As ...
sculptures of Tirttankara and Mahavira are found. Chariot mandapa and Vahana mandapa are also found in this temple.
[ G.Thillai Govindarajan, Jainism in Thanjavur District Tamil Nadu, Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria & Albert Museum, New Delhi, 110 001, May 2010]
Presiding deity
![Bhagawan Mallinathar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Bhagawan_Mallinathar.png)
The presiding deity is known as Mallinathaswamy and Mallinathar. The sculpture is of 56 cm height, and was made in 1986. The sculpture which was kept in sanctum sanctorum earlier is now found in the arthamandapa, as the nose of sculpture was found broken. The Processional deity is found in the mahamandapa.
Festivals
Daily pujas are held. During Fridays Sukravara Puja and archana is done to Jwalamalini. Pournami is celebrated. During Tamil months of Vaikasi (Vaikasi Saptami is held after hoisting of flags), Adi, Avani, Puratassi, Aippasi (Mahaveer Parinivara Day), Karthigai (lighting of lamps) and Panguni (eight day festival known as Nandisvara Dveepa) are held. Bhajans are held during Marghazhi, with lighting of Mukkudai Deepam.
[ சமணத் திருத்தலங்கள் (சோழ மண்டலம்), ஆதிபகவன் சமணர் சங்கம், 53/22, ஜவுளிசெட்டித்தெரு, தஞ்சாவூர் 613 009, 2009] Every year during the summer 11 day festival i.e. Thiruvizha or Bramorchavam will be celebrated in grand manner. Currently in Tamil Nadu it's happening in very few Jain temples. Last two days of the festival is very famous. 11th day Thiruvizha is called "Kannadi Pallakku", in this Sri Jawalamaini Amman will give darshan to the devotees. No other Jain temples in Tamil Nadu is having this unique Pallakku.
See also
*
Jainism in Tamil Nadu
Jainism has an extensive history in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, although practiced by a minority of Tamils in contemporary times. According to the 2011 India Census, Jains represent 0.12% of the total population of Tamil Nadu, and are of ...
*
Tamil Jain
Tamil Jains (Tamil Samaṇar, from Prakrit '' samaṇa'' "wandering renunciate") are Tamils from Tamil Nadu, India, who practice Jainism (Tamil ). The Tamil Jain is a microcommunity of around 85,000 (around 0.13% of the population of Tamil Nad ...
References
{{Jainism topics
Jain temples in Tamil Nadu
12th-century Jain temples