‘Jain archaeological traces in 37 districts of Tamil Nadu need protection’

Jain archaeological sites across 37 Tamil Nadu districts require urgent protection, highlights a recent seminar on Jainism’s heritage.

Jain archaeological traces have been identified in 37 out of 38 districts of Tamil Nadu covering 480 sites, most of which need protection, said Pon. Rajendra Prasad Jain, member of Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission.

Speaking at the national seminar on ‘Jainism in South India - History, Art and Culture,’ at the C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation here on Friday, Mr.Jain said, “We have given a memorandum to the district collectors to preserve and protect the archaeological sites. The State government is also in favour of protecting the archaeological sites with the help of the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department.”

“There are more than 200 hills we call cave structures, where Jain munis lived for more than two and a half millennia in Tamil Nadu. It has been proved by the Brahmi inscriptions. We have the oldest inscription of the third century BC in Brahmi in the Jaina caves, where the Jain monks lived. Jainism had existed in this land even before Chandragupta Maurya.”   

“Of the 200 hill sites, 48 are protected monuments under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India. Most of them were declared protected monuments in the pre-independence period. So, the British knew the importance of these structures. After Independence, the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department declared about 25 monuments as protected ones. Despite the announcement, they were found in a state of neglect. With our continuous follow up with the Archaeology Department, steps have been taken recently to ensure complete protection in six of the sites. Security personnel have been appointed. The places have become tourism centres. About 15 such temples are currently with the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.”

Pointing to the initiatives taken by the State government to protect Tamil Jain heritage, Mr. Jain said, over 50,000 Tamil jains were residing in the State. “A Jain Heritage Centre will come up in Madurai. Work has already begun,” he said. 

“In about 14 months’ time we have visited all the districts of Tamil Nadu and created a lot of awareness,” he said.