A rainy day in Chitaral

Western side of the monument

Rock pillar

A rainy day in Chitaral

I went to Chitaral a year ago with Jayasree,Sajeev and Radhakrishnan . It was in the scorching heat of a midday,but we enjoyed the visit thanks to the  soothing wind of the hills. At that time, I thought of visiting this place on a rainy day. Only recently had it become possible. Sreekutty, Vishnu, Sreekuttan, Vava, Jayasree and I  planned to leave in the afternoon. It was three o'clock when we finally left Nagercoil. Cloudy atmosphere indicated possibility of a rain.When we got there it was doubtful whether the time for entry would be over. It was half past four. Admission is until 5 p.m. We paid Rs.20/- for car parking to the lady who took contract from the panchayat for that. She  has a small shop near by.

 The official entry time is up to 5 but people stay until 6:30, she said.When we began climbing,it started to rain. We carried umbrella and  hats. There is a short walk to the monument. The path is good having  trees on the sides. Cashew plants are abundant in the compound. More than fifty people, including Malayalees, were there then. Many enjoyed the rain, including Sreekuttan. Two young local men were exercising on a rock in the rain. Even though I was getting old, I thought of  join with them. Since Jayasree is with me, it is common to contain such ambitions. She cares about my health!

 Carefully climbed up the hill through the wet rock. The rock is not slippery. We reached the top of the hill through the steps carved in the rock. The view of  Kanyakumari district from Chitral hills is really a wonderful one ,a  confluence of greenery and clouds.

Chitaral Hill had been inhabited by Jain monks since the 1st century BC. The monument was developed during the reign of Mahendra Varman I in the 6th century. The Digambara Temple was built in the 9th century. The entrance to the temple is through a naturally formed gorge. There is a sculpture of Parshvanath and Padmavathi carved in the rock. The guards are Yakshas and cobra. In the left corner is a sculpture of three Tirthankaras standing. Mahavira and Ambika in the middle. Two children, an attendant and a lion can also be seen carved. The descriptions on the donors are in vattezhuth. The  cave temple is in the western side. There is a mandapa, a veranda and a balikallu . The three chambers have Mahavira in the middle, Devi on the right and Parshvanath on the left. Vimana of the temple was damaged due to lightning years back. In front of the temple there is a natural pond on the rock. Going further after the pond, there is another rock. Sreekuttan and Vishnu went there too. Kunju vava enjoyed the rain and the temple surroundings.The rain slowly subsided, we enjoyed it. The threads of rain that obscure the horizons and then the mist began to spread slowly.

In the 13th century, there was a move to make it a Bhagavathi temple and the move still continues. Chitaral Hill is under  the Thrissur region of the Archaeological Survey of India. The monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India have a poor exposure. The same is true here. A museum on Jain influence in South India and a description of the temple can be provided . It would be better to train two or three local people and appoint them on a daily basis . Local body  can provide  guides for those who need them  at a fixed fee. It is also advisable to charge a fee of Rs 10 for entry to the premise. The mobile number of the guide and others can also be given. It is necessary to be able to maintain and preserve the Jain monument by providing more facilities in association with state government and local body, without disturbing the ambience and aesthetics of the temple .

It was raining when we got off. We returned with the pleasure of a happy evening.

Natural pond

Vishnu and Padmavathi

Jayasree in front of the temple

Yaksha in front of the temple