At a distance of three.5 km from Vilapakkam Bus Cease and 30 km from Vellore, Pancha Pandava Malai or Pancha Pandava hill is located in a small city of Vilapakkam beside the State Freeway 129 between Arcot and Kannamangalam. The hilly space was a flourishing Jain middle between ninth & 11th centuries as it’s evident from the rock lower cave temple, pure caves with Jain figures and inscriptions.
The title Pancha Pandava Malai is related to Pandavas from Mahabharata. The hill is regionally known as as Tiruppanmalai, which means Scared Milk Hill. As per an inscription from Chola interval present in a structural temple on this village, it’s steered that this city was below the sturdy affect of the Jainism throughout 10th century.
The rock lower cave temple is among the largest cave excavations in-built Pallava fashion. This east dealing with cave is excavated on the foot of a giant hillock. The cave has a big mukhamandapa supported by twelve pillars organized in tow rows. The pillars are uniformly sq. from prime to backside. There are curved corbels above the pillars and pilasters. There are seven niches carved out on the again wall of the cave with empty cells. The aspect partitions are left with sq. un-carved blocks.
As per an inscription, this hill is referred as Tiruppanmalai and there are references of a determine of Yakshi, Naganadi and a Jain Thirthankara. The determine of Yakshi is carved on a big rock face close to a pool of water. Yakshi is proven sitting below a tree with one leg on the bottom and one leg bent on the seat holding a chauri (fan). There are 4 figures round Yakshi. There’s a Jain Tirthankara determine on the highest of the rock face proven seated in Yogasana. On southern face of the identical rock we see two carved figures, considered one of bare male determine and an animal.
There are two inscriptions on this rock face, one of many Pallava king Nandivarman and one other of the Chola king Rajaraja I.
Timings: 9 AM – 6 PM