Samanar Malai
The Samanar Malai or Samanar hills located 15 kilometers from the city of Madurai is an exquisite location for archeologists and history enthusiasts. Situated near one of the prominent ancient cities which is more than 2,500 years old and is known to retain numerous monuments belonging to its historical past.
Tucked away in secret in the quaint village of Keelakuyilkudi, the Samanar Hills has laid in wait silently to be discovered. This monument is a living example that Jainism thrived in southern India. This place was once inhabited by Jain monks over 2000 years ago. The carvings and sculptures in the walls testify that. There are many rocks and stone made structures which were used by the Jain monks.
This monument is also known as Thiruvuruvagam and has many sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras. Jain monks believed that by breathing they kill even the tiniest organism present in the air. So at some point of their life they undergo rigorous fasting where they do not breathe or eat anything and in the process end their life. The Samanar Hills is the perfect destination to explore to understand the life and lifestyle of the ancient Jain monks.
Nearby places to visit:
Meenakshi Amman temple, Thiruparankundram temple and Thirumalai Nayakar palace.
Best time to visit :
October to March makes for a great time to visit this monument.
How to reach ?
By Air : The nearest airport is the Madurai International airport which is at a distance of 25 kilometers away.
By Train :The Madurai railway station is at a distance of 10 kilometers from the monument.
By Road :Madurai is well connected by road from all the cities and towns in the country