>Monkbot at 01:01, 29 January 2021

2021-01-29T01:01:30Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}

[[File:Kizhavalavu (Kilavalavu) -Jain Sculptures.JPG|thumb|Kizhavalavu Jain Sculptures]]
'''Keezhavazhavu''' (also known as '''Kilavalavu and Keelavalavu''' and '''Kizhavalavu''') is a village in [[Madurai district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. It is located {{convert|43|km}} from [[Madurai]]. It is known for two [[hillock]]s called ''Panchapandavar Malai'' or ''Panchapandavar Padukkai'' which contains ancient [[Jainism|Jain]] sculptures and stone beds, and another is Sakkarai peer oliulla Mountain. It has a cave.

== Description ==
[[File:Kizhavalavu (Kilavalavu)-Panchapandavar beds.JPG|thumb|Panchapandavar beds]]
Keelavalavu is located in the [[Melur taluk]] of Madurai district. It is located {{convert|11|km}} from Melur. In the [[2011 census of India]], it had a population of 5686, of which 2847 were males and 2839 females.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.populationofindia.co.in/tamil-nadu/madurai/melur/.keelavalavu | title=Population distribution of village Keelavalavu | publisher=populationofindia.co.in | access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref> The village is rich in [[granite]] and it is one of the hubs for [[Granite scam in Tamil Nadu|illegal quarrying]] in the district.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article596900.ece?service=print | title=Illegal quarrying: Rs 8k-crore hoarded granite found | work=The New Indian Express | date=28 August 2012 | access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/Case-against-six-granite-quarries-as-raids-continue/articleshow/15383636.cms | title=Case against six granite quarries as raids continue | work=Times of India | date=7 August 2010 | access-date=2 April 2014}}</ref>

===Panchapandavar Malai===
Panchapandavar Malai (Hill of Five [[Pandava]]s) is located in the village on the [[Melur]] – [[Tirupattur|Tiruppattur]] road.<ref name="inperil">{{cite web | url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2917/stories/20120907291712800.htm | title=Monuments in peril | publisher=Frontline | date=25 August 2012 | access-date=7 March 2014}}</ref> The hillock contains caves that were converted as adobe by the Jain monks who lived here when their religion flourished in the [[ancient Tamil country]].<ref name="Namma">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/namma-madurai-history-hidden-inside-a-cave/article4051011.ece | title=Namma Madurai: History hidden inside a cave | work=The Hindu | date=31 October 2012 | access-date=7 March 2014}}</ref> The hillock is one of the [[List of Monuments of National Importance in Chennai circle|national monuments]] declared by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]].<ref name="inperil" /><ref>{{cite web | url=http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_alphalist_tamilnadu.asp | title=Alphabetical List of Monuments - Tamil Nadu | publisher=Archaeological Survey of India | access-date=9 March 2014 | quote=S. No. 84 — Panchapandava Bed, Jain Statues, And Brahmi And Vatteluttu (Malai Inscription On The Panchapandar)}}</ref>

The cave contains nine Jain sculptures belonging to 9th and 10th century AD, including sculptures of [[Mahavira]], the last [[thirthankara]] and [[Bahubali]].<ref name="Namma" /><ref>http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/namma-madurai-history-hidden-inside-a-cave/article4051011.ece</ref> It also contains [[Tamil-Brahmi]] and [[Vatteluttu alphabet|Vatteluttu]] inscriptions.<ref name="Vandalised ">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/vandalised-hills-and-vanished-history/article4717943.ece | title=Vandalised hills and vanished history | work=The Hindu | date=15 May 2013 | access-date=7 March 2014}}</ref> The Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in the cave were discovered by Venkoba Rao in 1903.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_aEsAAAAMAAJ&q=kilavalavu&dq=kilavalavu&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1dESU6ypCeSpiAeV5IDwCQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwADge | title=Plenary sessions | publisher=Hoe & Co. | year=1968}}</ref> The inscriptions were engraved from right to left and upside-down. This kind of inscription is only found here in the [[Kundrakudi]] hill.<ref name="Namma" /><ref name="Mahadevan2003">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?ei=6s8SU9i9Ic6fiQefiYAI&id=DZBkAAAAMAAJ&dq=kilavalavu&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=kilavalavu+right+to+left+upside+down | title=Early Tamil epigraphy from the earliest times to the sixth century A.D. | publisher=Harvard University Press | author=Iravatham Mahadevan | year=2003 | isbn=978-0-674-01227-1}}</ref> There are stone beds in the caves which were used by Jain monks for rest. An inscription in the cave mentions that these stone beds were sculptured by a person from [[Thondi]].<ref name="Namma" />

==Quarrying==
The granite quarrying in the hillock, carried out by the government and private companies, vandalised some of the sculptures and inscriptions.<ref name="Vandalised " /><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/storehouse-of-treasure/article1820116.ece | title=Storehouse of treasure | work=The Hindu | date=29 April 2011 | access-date=9 March 2014 | quote=Mahadevan is upset that quarrying of granite at Kizhavalavu has destroyed the first letter in the word Tondi.'}}</ref> In response to a [[Public-Interest Litigation|public interest litigation]] filed by the residents of the village in 2008,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.oneindia.in/2008/03/21/plea-to-stop-quarrying-near-hill-in-tn-1206081167.html | title=Plea to stop quarrying near hill in TN | work=One India | date=21 March 2008 | access-date=9 March 2014}}</ref> in 2011 the Madurai bench of [[Madras High Court]] banned the granite-quarrying activities of the [[Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited]] (TAMIN) and private companies inside an area of {{convert|51|acres}} around the hillock,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/article400727.ece?service=print | title=No quarrying at Panchapandavar | work=The New Indian Express | date=24 February 2011 | access-date=9 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/tamin-quarrying-within-protected-area/article1325283.ece | title=TAMIN quarrying within protected area | work=The Hindu | date=29 August 2008 | access-date=9 March 2014}}</ref> citing the presence of a Jain monument of archaeological importance.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/protect-keezhavalavu-hillock-high-court/article1485209.ece | title=Protect Keezhavalavu hillock: High Court | work=The Hindu | date=24 February 2011 | access-date=12 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/freeze-mining-near-jain-monument-bench/article1300830.ece | title=Freeze mining near Jain monument: Bench | work=The Hindu | date=24 July 2008 | access-date=9 March 2014}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{coord missing|Tamil Nadu}}
{{Madurai district}}

[[Category:Jain rock-cut architecture]]
[[Category:Hills of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Caves of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Villages in Madurai district]]
[[Category:Archaeological sites in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:9th-century Jain temples]]

Keelavalavu - Revision history

>Monkbot at 01:01, 29 January 2021