Bulletin of The Madras Government Museum

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In this bulletin, the author Thiru T.N. Ramachandran has given vivid account of two Jain temples in the village of Tirupparuthikunram on the outskirts of Kancheepuram (old spelling Conjeevaram). The smaller of the two is in late Pallava style while the larger one belongs to early Chola with a Mandapa in Vijayanagar style. The evidence of architectural style is supported by the inscriptions in which the large temple is very rich. The ceilings of the Mandapa and verandah of this temple are adorned with paintings illustrating Jain mythology. Further the author with the help of the authentic inscription has identified Tirupparutikunram with Jina-Kanchi. The author gives an elaborate account of Jain iconography, mythology, cosmology etc., from the Digambara Sect of Jainism. He has made use of other works like the Sri Purana, Adi Purana, Punyarava Katha etc for this purpose. This bulletin was published in 1934 AD and went out of stock.

This is the 2600th year of the Mahanirvana of Lord Mahavira, the founder of Jainism, and the 150th year of the existence of the Government Museum, Chennai. The republication of this work, a definitive work on Jainology, this year is, therefore, an appropriate tribute to the author.

I have made us of this work in my book 'Jain Images in the Government Museum, Chennai' co-authored with Thiru K. Lakshminarayanan, Assistant Director of this museum as one of the sources of reference material, published in 2001 AD coinciding with the two anniversaries referred to above.

This republication would make available an invaluable source material for scholars and students of history especially Jainology.