| Jina Kanchi Jain Math | |
| Native Name: | ஜின காஞ்சி சமண மடம் |
| Religious Affiliation: | Jainism |
| Sect: | Digambar |
| Coordinates: | 12.2697°N 79.5142°W |
| Location: | Gingee, Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu |
| Festivals: | Mahavir Jayanti |
| Bhattaraka: | Swasti Shri Laxmisena Swami |
| Deity: | Parshvanatha, Malinatha |
| Website: | jinakanchi.com |
Jina Kanchi Jain Math, Melsithamur, is a Jain Matha that is located near Gingee, Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu, India.
It is the primary religious center of the Tamil Jain community.[1] It is headed by the primary religious head of this community, Bhattaraka Laxmisena Swami.[2]
The Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram areas have been an important centre of Jainism since ancient times.[3] Historically, there was a Jain Math at Kanchipuram but it was shifted to its current location here.[4] Venkatappa Nayak (1570-1600) is said to have given permission during his reign to build this Sittamur Jain Temple. Later, in 1860 CE, a Jain official in the Madras Provincial Services, Sri Baliah, dismantled several stone-pieces including the great stone elephants from the Gingee Venkataramana Temple, to make edifices in the Sittamur Jain temple.[5] Among them the great stone elephants placed at the foot of the Termutti (car-stand), are noteworthy.[5]
There are two temples and one of them is dedicated to Parshvanatha. The other temple is dedicated to Malinatha and it was originally a boulder containing rock-cut images of Bahubali, Parsvanatha, Adinatha, Mahavira and Ambika yakshi. These images were carved in the 9th century CE.[6]
Parshvanatha temple or Raja Gopuram is a seven storeyed tower with a total height of more than 70 feet. Images of tirthankaras are carved on temple walls. Main idol of Parsvanatha temple is a black colored 14 feet idol of Parsvanatha in Padmasan posture. The 52 feet manastambha in temple is a monolith.
Malinatha Temple is also known as Thiruvooram Palli or Kattam Palli. The carvings of Tirtankaras Bahubali, Parshvanatha, Adinath bagavan, Mahavira and Yakshi Dharma Devi belonging to the 7th century sculptured on a single rock here is a testimony to the workmanship of those days.
The Math is located 20 km off Tindivanam and 10 km east of Gingee.[1]