Thirunadhikkara Cave Temple, Rock-cut Hindu temple in Kanyakumari District, India.
Thirunadhikkara Cave Temple is a rock-cut Hindu place of worship in Kanyakumari with a square hall and a small inner shrine housing a Shiva Linga that faces east. The structure sits on a hillside and displays the characteristics typical of temples carved into rock.
Built originally as a Jain sanctuary in the 7th century, the temple was converted into a Hindu place of worship during the 9th century. This shift shows how religious practices changed in the region during the medieval period.
The remaining cave paintings show scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics with images of Shiva, Parvati, and Ganesha. These paintings reflect the spiritual importance people gave to this place over many centuries.
The temple sits about 3 kilometers from Kulasekharam post office and can be easily reached via the Kulasekharam-Pechiparai road. Good walking shoes are helpful since the approach follows uneven ground leading up the hillside.
The temple preserves eleven stone-carved inscriptions discussing the Sadhaya festival of the Imperial Cholas, along with copper plate records from 9th-century Venad rulers. These artifacts document administrative and ceremonial practices from different periods of regional history.
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