MADURAI JAIN HERITAG CENTRE, MADURAI, TAMILNADU, PROLOGUE

Madurai is so important and sacred for Jains from 300 century BCE to 13 CE as it has hills with Jaina Sculpture, caves, stone beds of Munis. Inscriptions in not less than 30 caves, about 200 Stone beds, 60 Inscriptions, 84 Tamil Brahmi Inscriptions, 100 Sculptures of Thirthankaras. There are Rock paintings in and around Madurai which have almost faded in many places.

Jain monks preferred hard rock to carve their abodes and now granite quarries are located near the abodes to exploit the minerals. In the process, the historical abodes are getting completely eroded. Intensive unauthorized quarries in and around Keelavalavu, Keelakuilkudi, Arittapatti villages are going on which resulted in caving in of Jain beds.

“MADURAI JAIN HERITAGE CENTRE (MJHC)” has been formed and registered in Madurai itself with sincere devoted persons who are already doing commendable service for the preservation of old Jaina monuments of Madurai hills.

• In order to safeguard the hills from quarries and vandalism.
• To promote pilgrimage tours, heritage tours to these hills.
• To create awareness among the local people regarding importance of the heritage Jain centres.
• To provide lodging & boarding facilities to the visitors and devotees coming from all over India and Abroad.
• To arrange literary meetings, conferences, highlighting Jains contributions to the people, Tamil literature and culture.
• To arrange festivals in all the hills once in a year.

MJHC purchased about two ground of land in a place opposite Vellaichamy Nadar College near Madurai Kamaraj University about 13 kms, away from Madurai town, nearer to Samana Malai (Jaina Hill) and building of 1200 sq.ft. of area constructed.  Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Statue also installed about a year back at a total cost of about Rs.45 Laksh, collected from the people as Donation and Rs.4 Lakhs as Loan, which needs to be returned. It is functioning at Plot No.142, 4th Street, Maxworth Nagar (Near SBO School) Mela Kuyilkudi Road, Nagamalai Pudukottai, Madurai (Contact Cell No. 9486810858, Email – jainheritage@gmail.com).

Summing up it would be a wonder if the Jain Vestiges which survived for more than two thousand years remains as such for another century in the period of granite gust. There are programs to construct a prayer hall in and around Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Statue for about 2050 sq.ft. at a cost of Rs.25 Lakhs immediately and construction of first floor for about 1250 sq.ft. at a cost of Rs.15 Lakhs at later date, over the present building for the use as conference hall at MJHC for which donations from public are invited, which if the Jain people take note of this will be a rich tribute that they will be paying to the disciples of MAHAVIRA and to maintain the magnificence that was MADURAIO 2000 years ago.
Contact:
Sri.A.Chinna Durai Jain – President
9884266715 – engineer.acdurai@gmail.com
Sri.Mr.Anantharaj Jain – Secretary
9486810858
Sri.A.P.Aravazhi Jain – Trustee
9442310894 – aparavazhi@gmail.com
Sri.S.Thanya Kumar Jain – Trustee
9444130764 – thanyakumar@gmail.com
Sri.B.Santhanam Jain – Treasurer
9843064265 – bagawathysanthanam@yahoo.com