Post No. 1167. Part 8 of Study about Tirumalai Jain and Vaishnava Temples

Post No. 1167.  Part 8 of Study about Tirumalai Jain and Vaishnava Temples

Image of Jain Guru Neminatha.


Image of Lord Venkateswara at Tirupati-Tirumalai.

A quote from the Full text of the 1999 TTD Book  "The Tirumala Temple" , available for download at Archive.org, by Dr. N. RAMESAN, M.A; Ph.D; F.R.A.S.; I.A.S.

TIRUMALA UNDER THE SANGAMA DYNASTY
The first ruler of the Sangama dynasty who can be easily recognised in the temple epigraphs is Harihara II, mentined in No. 103-TT. dated in Saka 1309, Prabhava. But there are three earlier records belonging to the reign of Bukka I (Nos. 487, 237 and 238, and 485-TT.) though the king is not mentioned in any of them, No. 487-TT. which is undated and fragmentary, registers the grant of a village to the temple for a sandhi (offerings) twice a day in the name of Bukkarayan and this Bukkarayan-Sandhi is again referred to in No. 44 TT. dated in Saka 1379.

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Bukkarayan-sandhi is mentioned as the primary one during which, along with the tirupponakam (cooked rice mixed with green gram, ghee, etc.,) to be offered as originally stipulated, koyil-kelvi Emperumanar-jiyar, manager of Pankayachchelli-tirunandavanam at Tirumala and the head of a religious institution at Tirumala and Tirupati, arranged in Saka 1367 for offering to Sri Venkatesvara two tirupponakam daily (No. 106 — ^T.T.). And Periya- perumal-jiyar .arranged likewise in Saka 1380 for two tirupponakams daily (No. 47 — T.T.). No.23 — ^T.T. which is dated in 1372 mentions Rayar-sandhi.
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Readers may see the word "Sandhi' in the meaning of "offerings".  This word "Sandhi" word has more than three meanings .

Notes: The word "Sandhi" 's principal meaning is:  "a junction, a joint, joining".  We can derive three meanings from this: 

1) sandhi1, (dina)sandhya refer to the intervening period between night and morning.  Sandhi offerings , can , therefore refer offerings made to  Gods and Goddesses during  dawn (pUrva sandhya) or dusk (para or paschima sandhya).

2) sandhi2 = "truce" or a "treaty of truce". Warring people / races / countries can enter into agreements of peace.  The Sangama dynasty Vijayanagara King Bukkaraya-I might have made a truce between the two claimants for the Tirumala Temple i.e. Jains and VishNu worshippers.

3) Sandhi3 = This is a grammar term .  When  two words are joined together , a combined word results. The technique can be called sandhi.  E.g. SavarNa dIrgha Sandhi, Guna Sandhi.

4) In Indian Railways, there seems to be a practice of using the word sandhi to mean a Railway juncstion.  Similarly Pak jalasandhi, Gibralter jalasandhi (Strait).

The prefix "sam" seems to indicate "bringing together ".  Eg. SampAdan, SamyOjan, SamgItam, Samgathi (Get together) etc.

Thus, after arranging truce between VaishNavas and Jains, the Vijayanagara king Bukkaraya-1, might have issued some edicts, which include gifting the Tirumalai village , and also arrangement for dawn-time food offering to the God, the nearest temple being for Lord Venkateswara.  Since and transition from Jain-Temple to a VaishNava temple is taking place only vegetarian offerings might have been stipulated.

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Recently , I saw an article in the New Indian Express, about Jain Temples, in South India , with photos.  In that I found a reference to a Tirumalai temple in  Tiruvannamalai District .  The temple has a 17ft high statue of Jain Saint Neminatha, on the hill.  Further Googling on net, we can find a photo of Neminatha's 17 ft statue.  It is fully "digambara" i.e. without clothes.  The image of Guru Neminatha,  at the top of this blog post , is "digambara".

But the Lord Venkateswara's idol in Tirupati does not seem to have a serpant-umbrella .  When I wrote my blog post numbers 510 to 513 about the Tirumala Temple, a few videos were current on the Net, which showed the bathing of the main stone idol of Lord Venkateswara in Sanctum-Sanctorum, and the Lord's idol was not fully naked.  Therefore , the inference that the stone idol in Shri Venkateswara Temple may be that of Neminatha becomes wrong.  Therefore , I correct myself .  My apologies to my readers .  

About Tirumalai kshetra in Tiruvannamalai District, near Polur.
This pilgrimage place has the 17ft statue of Guru Neminatha.  This place is also known as arihant kshetra.  Apparently has an epithet of "Shravana Belagola" of Tamil Nadu State.  (Disambiguation from the Shravan Belagola of Karnataka State).  These temples were apparently first built by Kings Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra Chola, and their Queens.  This place has also received Royal Patronage from Vijayanagara KIngs Bukka Raya and Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu, just as the VaishNava Tirumala(i) in AP State received .

Important
Now, that as both Jain Tirumalai of Tiruvannamalai District and the VaishNava Tirumalai of Andhra Pradesh State, are prospering and thriving without issues , I felt  that no useful purpose will be served by dragging this subject.  Hence, I have decided not to write further blogposts about this issue .  

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In my post #631, I wrote about the need to search for the temple of Ambika who is the protective Goddess for Neminatha.  

Now, my observation: Padmavathi whose temple we find at Tiruchanur, Lower Tirupati,  seems to be the protective Goddess for the Jain Guru RishabhnAtha or Parsvanatha.  
That suggests:- Archaeological Department may have to explore for a temple of Rishabhnatha or Parsvanatha in the surroundings of AP's Tirumala and TN's Kancheepuram .  Probably Anandamangalam ruins near Orathi village, Kancheepuram District, about 108kms from Tirupati, may have to be excavated. 

Links to previous posts on this subject :
Part 1:   http://problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com/search/label/508

Part 2: http://problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com/search/label/511

Part 3: http://problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com/search/label/512

Part 4: http://problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com/search/label/513 

Part 5: link is to be added.
Part 6: link is to be added. 

Part 7: http://problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com/search/label/631 


There are seven parts.  This is the 8th part.  I shall add the links for parts 5,6,7, after searching them out at this problemsoftelugus.blogspot.com.

References: 

1) https://www.jainsamaj.org/content.php?url=Temples_of_Tamilnadu_-_By

2) https://frontline.thehindu.com/arts-and-culture/heritage/jain-vestiges/article7866166.ece

I must thank some more Jain websites, from which I strengthened my knowledge about Adi-Jainism.  Unfortunately, I forgot to note down their links.  I shall try to add their links here, by visiting those sites again.  I believe that Adi Jainism was the first "religion-like-lifestyle' of India.  But, more evidence is needed ..

3) TTD 1999 Book downloaded from Archive.Org.