Jain Statues Rock Incription ,Kalluthu In India: History,Facts, & Services
Kalluthu is an ancient inscription on a rock in Tamil Nadu, India. It dates to the 4th century CE, when the area was part of the Pallava dynasty. The inscription is written in the ancient Tamil-Brahmi script and is devoted to the Jain faith. It is the oldest known inscription related to Jainism.
The inscription was discovered by B.V. Radhakrishnaiah in 1947, at Agasteeswaram Taluk, about 15 km from Kanyakumari. It is located at a distance of about 5 km from Kovilkadu, 14 km from Thiruvattar and 7 km from Thirupoomalai. It is now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The inscription is of great significance as it is the oldest known inscription related to Jainism and provides important evidence of early Jain settlement in the south. It covers about 1.4 sq meters and is engraved in a rock about a metre in height by three sides. The inscription essentially comprising of three lines of characters, is written in early Tamil-Brahmi script with a Prakrit language. It begins with the invocation of Mallikarjuna, a form of God Shiva and is addressed to Bhattaraka Pusthapati.
The inscription speaks of a grant by king Meenkaadeva of the Pallava dynasty, to the Jain ascetics. It also mentions nine gems, who were probably royal ministers of the king, and eleven teachers of Agama and tantra. This shows the spread of Jainism in early times in southern India.
The inscription is written in the Kalamukha style, similar to the style used in the Tiruchirapalli copper plate, and other inscriptions of the same period. It is an important source of early historical data about the tribe and region as well as for tracing the antiquity of Jainism in the region.
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City:
India
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state:
Tamil Nadu
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country:
India
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country code:
IN
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postcode:
631111
Location:
Tamil Nadu India