>Citation bot at 03:55, 13 February 2021

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{{Infobox cave
| name = Armamalai Cave
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| map = Tamil Nadu
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| map_caption = Armamalai Cave, Tamil Nadu
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| location = Malayampattu, Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|12.7586204|N|78.6427291|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
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| geology = [[Limestone]]
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'''Armamalai Cave''' is known for its [[Cave paintings in India|Indian cave paintings]]. It is to the west of [[Malayampattu]] village which is {{convert|25|km}} from [[Ambur]] in the [[Vellore district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="tnarch.gov.in">{{cite web | url=http://www.tnarch.gov.in/cons/paint/paint5.htm | title=Armamalai Cave – Malayampattu | publisher=Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu | access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref> The cave is in the [[List of State Protected Monuments in Tamil Nadu|protected monument]] by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_protected_monu_tamil_nadu.asp | title=Protected Monuments in Tamil Nadu | publisher=Archaeological Survey of India | access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref> and it is a [[Tourism in Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu tourist attraction]].<ref name="Various2003">{{cite book|author=Various|title=Tourist Guide to South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ta6AD7MNFioC&pg=PA54|year=2003|publisher=Sura Books|isbn=978-81-7478-175-8|pages=54–}}</ref>

== Information ==
Armamalai cave is a natural cave which was converted to a [[Jain]] temple in 8th century AD. The cave contains 8th century Jain paintings, [[petroglyph]]s, rock art<ref name="wondermondo.com">{{cite web | url=http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/As/India/TamilNadu/Armamalai.htm | title=Armamalai Cave – Jain temple with ancient paintings | publisher=wondermondo.com | access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref> and the remains of Jain saints.<ref name="tnarch.gov.in"/> The [[mural]] paintings are on the roof and walls of the cave.<ref name="tnarch.gov.in" /> The paintings were created by applying colours on the thin lime surface and over the thick mud surface.<ref name="wondermondo.com" /> These paintings were made by the Jain monks who stayed in the cave during the period when their religion was flourishing in the ancient [[Tamil country]]. The paintings in the cave are applied by two techniques, [[Fresco]] and [[Tempera]].<ref name="MedCavePaint" /> They are similar to the paintings of [[Sittanavasal Cave]],<ref name="tnarch.gov.in"/><ref name="Joseph1997">{{cite book|author=P. M. Joseph|title=Jainism in South India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vHnXAAAAMAAJ&q=armamalai+cave+tempera|year=1997|publisher=International School of Dravidian Linguistics|pages=151|isbn=978-81-85692-23-4}}</ref> another ancient Jain cave in Tamil Nadu<ref name="wondermondo.com" /> and [[Bagh Caves]], an ancient Buddhist cave in [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.madhya-pradesh-tourism.com/heritage/rock-art/bagh-caves-indore.html | title=Bagh Caves – Art and Architecture | publisher=Madhya Pradesh Tourism | access-date=26 January 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909134154/http://www.madhya-pradesh-tourism.com/heritage/rock-art/bagh-caves-indore.html | archive-date=9 September 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The paintings in the cave are thought to be medieval [[cave paintings in India]].<ref name="MedCavePaint">{{cite web | url=http://www.wondermondo.com/Best/As/IndMedCavePaint.htm | title=Ancient and medieval Indian cave paintings – Internet encyclopedia | publisher=wondermondo.com | access-date=26 January 2014}}</ref>

Archeologists found the [[rock art]]s in the cave in the late 1960s. Previous research at the site by Gabriel Jouveau-Dubreuil, who died in 1945, had found antiquities of [[Pallava dynasty]], who ruled at that time. Jouveau-Dubreuil claimed to have discovered this cave from information he had found on the [[Uthayendram|Udayendiram]] [[Tamil copper-plate inscriptions|copper plates]] which had referred to a village given away by the Pallava ruler [[Nandivarman II]] that sounded like [[Kumaramangalam]]. Further enquiries enabled him to find the cave to the west of Malayampattu.<ref name="Jouveau-Dubreuil1994">{{cite book|author=G. Jouveau-Dubreuil|title=Pallava Antiquities – 2 Vols.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QbYKPXQ3DaAC&pg=PA73|date=1 December 1994|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=978-81-206-0571-8|pages=52, 73–}}</ref> The paintings explain the native stories of Jainism and also had images of ''Astathik Palakas'',<ref name="tnarch.gov.in" /> also called as protectors of eight corners and they are [[Agni]], [[Vayu]], [[Kubera]], Eesanya, [[Indra]], [[Yama]], Niruthi and [[Varuna]]. There are petroglyphs of plants and swans depicted as well. [[Tamil-Brahmi]] inscriptions are also seen on the walls of the cave. Most of the paintings and other arts in the cave have been damaged for various reasons.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Jain Caves in India}}

[[Category:Indian paintings]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Jain rock-cut architecture]]
[[Category:Hills of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:8th-century Jain temples]]
[[Category:Tamil architecture]]
[[Category:Pallava architecture]]

Armamalai Cave - Revision history

>Citation bot at 03:55, 13 February 2021