Кашмирдегі инду және джайне ғибадатханалары тобы

Group of Hindu and Jain temples in Kanyakumari

The Chitharal Jain Monuments and Bhagavati Temple, also known as Chitharal Malai Kovil (literally "Temple on the Hill"), Chitaral Cave Temple or Bhagavati Temple, are located near Chitharal village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. They consist of stone beds with inscriptions, and two monuments – one rock cut Jain temple with outer wall reliefs and one Hindu goddess temple next to it that is a combination of rock cut and stone that was added during the reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna Pandya. The monuments are from the 9th century CE. The hillock is also referred to as Tiruchchāraṇattu malai, which means "the hill holy to the Chāraṇas" (Jain ascetics). The cave temple and main Jain monument is from the 9th century, with three sanctums that has always had Jain iconography – Parsvanatha (left), Mahavira and Padmavati since they were carved in situ from the stone and have not been damaged. Next to it is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Bhagavati (Parvati) which was likely added after the 9th century, and expanded with mandapa and other Hindu temple architectural elements through the 13th century based on epigraphic evidence of donors. The Jain beds and temple are Digambara Jain monuments. According to T. A. Gopinatha Rao, the inscription on the southern side says Gunandagi kurattigal, the disciple of Arattanemi Bhatariyar of Peravakkudi, presented Bhatariyar of Tiruchchanam malai with some golden ornament during the 28th year of reign of Vikramaditya Varaguna. There is much evidence and an established chronology about the Hindu monarch Vikramaditya of Ay dynasty, states Gopinath Rao, and this helps date this temple to the 9th century. The inscription is Tamil language in Vatteluttu script. The monument has been cleaned up, many parts of it rebuilt and restored, particularly the partial Vimana on top of the cave temple.

The monuments are reached by roughly hewn steps in rocks and the narrow entrance between them. A natural cavern formed by overhanging rock has many bas relief sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras. This is the north side and the outer wall of the Jain cave temple. It is visible to the visitors as they approach the temple. The reliefs of Parsvanatha and Padmavati are standing figures canopied by multi hooded cobra and with attendant smaller figures of Yaksha. Another inscription was discovered a bit later on the kitchen steps of the Hindu temple. It stated that "Narayanan Kalikan alias Dharmachetti nayinar of the city of Tirukkudakkarai made certain arrangements" to ensure certain services in the "Bhagavati temple" on the "17th of the month of Medam in the year Ko 584". This approximately corresponds to 1373 CE. So, the Hindu temple was active in the 14th century.

This is a centrally protected monument (N TN T2) maintained by Thrissur Circle of Archaeological Survey of India since 1964. It is inscribed as Bhagawati temple and Jaina bas relief.