History
The earliest historical reference to Koodalmanikyam Temple is found on a stone inscription attributed to the Chera king Stanu Ravi Varman dated 854 A.D, donating vast extents of land for the temple. It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that the temple must have been in existence for quite some time before this date and that even then Koodalmanikyam occupied a place of importance among temples of Kerala.
Koodalmanikyam temple plays a key role in the history of Irinjalakuda as most land in and around the region belonged to the Koodalmanikyam Temple. The Devaswom allotted land to accommodate government institutions, Christ College, and for public use to facilitate development activities in the region. Much land that belonged to Koodalmanikyam was subjected to encroachment.
The government appointed a special tahsildar under the Kerala Land Conservancy Act to recover encroached land for the Kochi Devaswom Board, and a tahsildar and a surveyor for the Koodalmanikyam Devaswom. The temple attracts devotees and tourists, a source of revenue for the Irinjalakuda. Origin of Jainism in Kerala
Jainism came to Kerala in the third century BC soon after Chandragupta Maurya (B.C. 321-297), accompanied by the Jain monk Bhadrabahu, travelled to Shravanabelagola near Mysore (in present day Karnataka). Their followers are believed to have journeyed further south, into present day Kerala and Tamil Nadu, in search of suitable places for meditation. By the start of the Christian era, Jainism was well established in Kerala. Ilango Adigal, author of the Tamil epic Silappadikaram, was among the notable royal patrons of the Jain religion in Kerala. He lived in Trikkanaa-Mathilakam which attained fame as a centre of Jain culture and learning.
Jainism started its decline in Kerala during the 8th century resurgence of the Saivite and Vaishnavite movements, and by the 16th century it had almost disappeared. Some Jain shrines from these times still remain, notably in Jainamedu, near Vadakkanthara, Palghat, and in Sultan Battery in Wynad. Many Jain temples also got demolished during Tipu Sultan's raid.
There were many Jain temples spread over Kerala in ancient times. The temple at Koodalmanikyam in Irinjalakuda is believed to have been among them. The belief is that it was dedicated to Bharatheswara, a Digambar Jain monk (his statue can be seen in Shravanabelagola). Jainism declined in popularity in Kerala during the Saivite and Vaishnavite resurgence, and many Jain shrines, among them Koodalmanikkyam, became Hindu temples. The temple at Kallil, in Perumbavoor, was believed to have been a Jain shrine to Parsvanath, Mahaviran, and Padmavathi Devi. Now it is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Devi, but Jain pilgrims also come to pray at the shrine.
The temple architecture of Kerala owes much to Jain Vaasthu Silpa. Main Temples
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