Nayanar Temple
By T. S. Sripal
Summary
The article by T. S. Sripal argues that the Thiruvalluvar temple in Mylapore, Madras, was originally a Nayanar temple, dedicated to the Jaina author of the Thirukkural, Thiruvalluvar, who was also known as Nayanar and Thevar. The author establishes that the term "Nayanar" historically referred to Jaina Tirthankaras, Munis, and Arhats, citing evidence from Ilangovadigal’s Silapathikaram and Adiyarkku Nallar’s commentary, as well as stone inscriptions from Kalugumalai, Thiruvadikai, Thiruparithikunram, and Koliyanur. Mylainather’s commentary on the Nannul grammar further supports this by introducing a Jaina scholar as Avi Nayanar. Sripal traces the history of the Mylapore temple, noting its previous dedication to Neminather, a Jaina Tirthankara, and the presence of Jaina scholars like Mylainathar, Avirothenather, and Gunavira Pandita. The Jainas traditionally worshipped the footprints of their Tirthankaras and Munis, and the Mylapore community followed this practice by worshipping Thiruvalluvar’s footprints as Thiruvalluvar Nayanar and Thiruvalluvar Thevar, a practice that attracted non-Jainas who also called the temple the Nayanar temple. The author notes that until the 17th century A.D., Mylapore was predominantly populated by Jainas, a fact recorded in the Mylapore Pattu, and that the Nayanar title persists among certain Jainas and converted Muslims in Tamilnadu. The article concludes by recounting the disappearance and relocation of the sacred footprints, which were eventually set on the temple wall, and urges the restoration of the footprints to their original place to honor the temple’s Jaina origins.
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Conclusion
The article demonstrates that the Thiruvalluvar temple in Mylapore was historically a Jain Nayanar temple, established by the local Jaina community who worshipped the author of the Thirukkural as a revered Thevar. This conclusion is substantiated by extensive epigraphic evidence, literary references, and the enduring local custom of addressing Jaina Tirthankaras and Munis as Nayanars. The practice of worshipping the author’s footprints, a traditional Jaina custom, further cemented this identity, attracting non-Jaina devotees and resulting in the temple being widely known as the Nayanar temple until recent centuries. The text highlights the subsequent disappearance and damage of these sacred footprints due to iconoclastic changes, alongside the persistence of the Nayanar title within various local communities, including converted groups. Ultimately, the study underscores the imperative to restore the original sacred footprints to the temple, thereby reclaiming its authentic Jaina heritage and antiquity.