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Jainism, one of the three most ancient Indian religious traditions still in existence, has very small presence (0.01%) inKerala, in south India. According to the 2011India Census, Kerala only has around 4500 Jains, most of them in the city ofCochin,Calicut and inWayanad district.
Medieval Jain inscriptions are mostly found on the borders of Kerala proper, such as in Wayanad in the north-east,Alathur in thePalghat Gap andChitharal inKanyakumari District. Epigraphical evidence suggests that the shrine at "Tirukkunavay", perhaps located nearCochin, was the major Jain temple in medieval Kerala (from c. 9th century CE). The so-called "Rules of the Tirukkunavay Temple" provided model and precedent for all other Jain temples of Kerala.[1]
Some of the Jain temples in Kerala were incorporated by theHindus at a later stage. The temple images are worshiped as Hindu gods and considered as part of the Hindu pantheon. Hindus and Jains occasionally worship their deities in the same temple.[1]
A number of caves, donated by the early historicChera chieftains to the Jains, can be found in theKarur-Pugaliyur region of western Tamil Nadu.Utiyan Cheral Atal, a Chera chieftain, is stated to have (Akam 55,Puram 65 and 66) died by starvation through a practice (the vattakku-irikkal) similar to the Jainsallekhana vrata. Utiyan Cheral was wounded on the back by his Chola rivalKarikala in a battle.[1]
Ilamko Atikal, who is traditionally credited as the author of the Tamil epicChilappatikaram, was probably a resident of a Jain vihara known as "Kunavayir kottam". Some scholars identify Kunavayir kottam with Tirukkunavay[il] or Trikkana Matilakam, now known asMatilakam, a village nearCochin. Matilakam was also known as "Gunaka" and "Kunaka" in the medieval period (Kokasandesa, slokas 45-48).[1] Archaeological excavations conducted at Matilakam in 1970, revealed an 8th-9th century CE foundation, structurally different from the standard Hindu temple foundations in shape.[1]
Whether it was the same as the kottam at Kunavay or not, epigraphical evidence suggests that the shrine at Tirukkunavay was the major Jain temple in Kerala. It is assumed that the so-called "Rules of the Tirukkunavay Temple" provided model and precedent for all other Jain temples of medieval Kerala. A dating system known as the Tirukkunavay Era was also present during this period.[1]
Inscriptions mentioning the Tirukkunavay[1]
Based on the Talakkavu Temple Inscription, it is calculated that the Tirukkunavay Temple was founded some time at the close of the 7th or the beginning of the 8th century CE. It seems that by 15th century, the Tirukkunavay Temple was transformed to aSiva temple (Kokasandesa, slokas 47-48). The deity of Kunaka is called "Purari" in the poemKokasandesa. The location of the temple is now lost to the scholars (the temple was probably destroyed completely in late medieval period).[1]
TheChathurmukha Basati,Manjeshwar near Bengere traces its history to patronage toJainism given by a jain dynasty present in the region in 12th century. This temple got modified to present stature in late 18th century.
Other Hindu temples in Kerala with Jain characteristics are
Some Jain shrines from early historic and medieval times still remain, notably inJainamedu, nearVadakkanthara,Palghat, and inSultan Battery inWayanad.Koodalmanikyam Temple inIrinjalakuda is believed to have been a Jain temple. The assumption is that it was dedicated to Bharateswara, a digambara Jain monk.[2] Some Jain temples located in modern-day Kerala are:Anantnath Swami Temple (Puliyarmala Jain Temple) in Puliyarmala, outsideKalpetta;Jain Temple, Kidanganad, Wayanad;Jainimedu Jain Temple;Kattil Madam Temple;Jain temple, Alappuzha;Kallil Temple inPerumbavoor;Kochi Jain temple,Mattancherry; Shri Vasupujya Swami Jain Temple, Srinivasa Mallan Road,Kochi; Cochin Digambar Jain Mandir,Panampilly Nagar,Kochi;Chathurmukha Basati,Manjeshwar; andParswanatha Basati,Manjeshwar.
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