Kodungallur Bhagavati

Summary

In ‘Kodungallur Bhagavati’, V. G. Nair traces the intertwined history of Jainism and Kerala’s cultural landscape. The article opens by noting that its subject is divided into two parts: a survey of Jainism in ancient and modern Kerala, and a discussion of the goddess Kodungallur Bhagavati (Kannaki), revered by Jains and Hindus alike. According to Tamil classical literature, Jainism flourished among large segments of Kerala’s population during the early centuries of the Common Era. Numerous temples, monasteries and educational institutions were scattered across the land, and Jaina ācāryas taught students from all castes and communities. Inscriptions reveal that by the second century A.D. there were more than two hundred temples and perhaps forty‑eight thousand ascetics in Kerala. Many of these temples were rock‑cut caves containing images of the Tirthankaras and other deities; some were built on hills and have survived largely intact. The article recounts how decline set in during the seventh to tenth centuries with the Saiva revival led by saints like the Nayanar. Ceraman Perumal, once a lay disciple of the movement, eventually converted to Saivism and oversaw a mass conversion of Jains. Jainism lingered until the sixteenth century in Tamil Nadu, but it disappeared from Kerala, leaving a few temples and relics. The author then profiles early Cera kings, especially Senkuttuvan of the second century, who ruled from Kodungallur and patronised Jain institutions. Senkuttuvan’s younger brother is identified with Ilango Adikal, the prince‑hermit and author of the Tamil epic Silappadikaram. The article shows how Ilango renounced the throne and entered a monastery at Kunavayirkottam, later identified through archaeological excavations in Kerala. Through literary analysis, the author connects Silappadikaram’s themes with Jain values and argues that Kannaki, the heroine deified as Kodungallur Bhagavati, was originally a Jain goddess whose worship was later adopted by Hindus. Subsequent sections explore Nambudiri Brahmin rituals, Buddhist influences, and the role of the Nayar community. The author emphasises that Jainism preached non‑violence and vegetarianism, contrasting it with Vedic sacrifices and emphasising that the Brahmin accusation of Jainism as nāstika is unfounded. Finally, he notes that the term Matilakam refers to the walled monastery and temple complex at Kunavayirkottam, where excavations have uncovered evidence of a Jain monastic network. The article ends with the promise of a continuation, suggesting that further discussion will elaborate on Jain influence and the goddess’s mythology.