Demarcating Sacred Space

Abstract

In the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, there are a number of medieval Jain sites that feature large boulders or outcrops of stone that are carved with images of Jinas and Jain deities. The relief carvings that constitute these sites typically span the entire surface of the boulder and are often accompanied by donative inscriptions. Given the large number of these reliefs and the fact that they are independent donations, most art historians examine them in an effort to track changes in Jain iconography and style. This approach, however, tends to deny the efficacy of these images when viewed collectively. More importantly, it denies the ways that these images demarcate Jain notions of sacred space. In this paper, I examine the 9th-10th century site of Kalugumalai primarily as an expression of sacred space rather than as a repository of individual carvings or inscriptions. These images clearly function collectively to identify the boulder and its surrounding environs as a place sacred to Jains and as a place worthy of worship. By examining the nature of the "site" rather than examining individual sculptures we can come to a better understanding of how such places functioned in their medieval context.