A Jain temple situated about 12 kms from Uthukuli, is believed to be centuries old. Though so ancient, few people seem to know of its existence. Only a handful of Jain families and some others from the neighbourhood are aware of its presence.
A family belonging to the Digambar Jain community comes all the way from Mysuru to conduct a puja at the temple.
Pillars
They say their family has been doing it for hundreds of years. Though relatively a smaller shrine, any heritage tourist can get attracted by the aesthetically carved images of gods and goddesses on the temple pillars.
“Our family has been conducting rituals at the temple for many, many years. And available records date it back to my forefather, Chandrirayar, who performed these pujas nearly 600 years back,” said Akshay Kumar, who is a seventh generation descendent of Chandrirayar.
Never much rush
According to the family members, some Jain devotees do come from Tirupur, Erode and even from neighbouring states, but there is never much rush except on Mahaveer Jayanti, Diwali and Pongal, when people from nearby areas come there.
Sadly, the main idol in the temple, that of Chandraprabatheerthangar, was stolen in the mid-1990s and it has not been recovered yet and now the temple holds only the idols of Rishabadevar and Kushmandini.
Sadly, the main idol in the temple was stolen in the mid-1990s and
it has not been recovered yet
