Citral

Jaina Temple

Despite the introduction of structural temple building, cave architecture did not cease to be developed by the Jaina community in the south. This has, for instance, been exemplified by the Jaina cave at Badami. A prominent example of a later cave is found at Citral, near Kanyakumari at the southern tip of Tamil Nadu, dating from about the eighth century CE. Even later, a large structural maṇḍapa (hall) and a porch were constructed at the front of the triple cave shrines to enlarge the edifice. On the side of the large boulder, out of which also the triple cave (now the shrine section of the enlarged temple) has been excavated, are intricate relief carvings. Today, these are sheltered below two roofs.