rock-cut architecture (Other Keyword)

DOCUMENT Citation Only Julie Hanlon.

The ancient temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu is flanked on the east and west by a series of granitic hill ranges and inselbergs. Upon many of these hills are caves containing rock-cut beds and inscriptions that record donations to Jain mendicants. Until recently, interest in these caves has been primarily epigraphical with exiguous analysis of their architectural features and use as Jain residences. In fact, the role of Jains in the history of Tamil Nadu, where they currently represent 0.1% of...