A note on some copper icons from Thirunarungkondai

Summary

S. Thanyakumar’s note explores three copper icons from the Jaina temple complex at Thirunarungkondai, an ancient centre of Jainism in Tamil Nadu situated on a small hill south of the Madras‑Trichy road. The author sketches the historical background of the site, noting that it contains two old temples dedicated to Bhagavān Candranātha (the eighth tīrthaṇkara) and Bhagavān Pārśvanātha (the twenty‑third), with shrines facing east and west respectively. Thirunarungkondai was once the headquarters of a medieval Jaina saṇgha called the Veera Saṇgha, and its main temple, Śrī Appandaināthar, remains under continuous worship by Tamil Jains who still perform rites such as the ear‑boring ceremony there. Over centuries the temple has received donations of land, cattle and gold from kings, chieftains and lay patrons; inscriptions from the eighth to twentieth centuries document this legacy. Inside the maṇḍapa of the main temple seven stone sculptures are displayed. Five large icons depict Ṛṣabha and Mallinātha, the eighth tīrthaṇkara Mahāvīra, the guardian deity Śāstha and the goddess Dharmadevī. Two smaller stelai show Pārśvanātha in kāyotsarga posture and another Jina in padmāsana posture. In addition to these sculptures the Pārśvanātha shrine contains about thirty metal icons of various sizes. Thanyakumar focuses on three copper pieces selected for their iconographic interest and antiquity. The first is a caturviṃŚti‑paṭṭa or cauviśī panel depicting the twenty‑four tīrthaṇkaras; each Jina sits on a lion throne with an umbrella above his head and is flanked by Yakṣas and Yakṣiṇīs. Stylistic features, such as the treatment of the nāga canopy and the sculptural relief, suggest that the paṭṭa may date to the tenth century. The second object is a caumukha, a four‑faced metal shrine with one tīrthaṇkara on each face; Thanyakumar describes the arrangement of the images, the proportions of the tiers and the details of the dome and superstructure. The third icon is a miniature vimāna resembling a Drāvida temple with two storeys, richly carved prabhās and a kalasa finial; each façade contains niches with Jinas in kāyotsarga or padmāsana. Although none of the icons bears an inscription, the author argues on stylistic grounds that they were probably donated by devotees around the thirteenth century. He notes that the copper has acquired a reddish patina due to oxidation and ritual washing. The article emphasises that many of the temple’s thirty metal icons remain undocumented; by presenting a preliminary study of three representative pieces it encourages further research and preservation efforts. By documenting these sculptures the note contributes to the study of Jain art in South India and underscores the importance of preserving little‑known regional collections.