Samanar Famous Jigarthanda
Located in Keelakuyilkudi village which is around 12 km away from Madurai, Samanar hills are beautiful blend of nature with history. Declared as a protected monument by the Archaeological Survey of India, this hill is an interesting site to visit when on Madurai Tour, presenting a glimpse into the historical richness of southern India. These hills are associated to Jainism with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions depicting various facets of the religion.
Also known as Samanar Malai as the Tamil word Malai means hills, it boasts of ancient caves with carvings dating back to 1st century A.D. Samanar hill has many prominent sculpture and ancient inscriptions giving an insight into the history and into the Jainism religion which flourished here during ancient times. The inscriptions on the hills are said to be more than 200 years old. These caves were the homes of many Jain monks during ancient era.
