The ancient Tondaimandalam region, comprising large parts of north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh, was a stronghold of Jainism. Karanthai, a small village near Cheyyar, is one of the many ancient Jain settlements in this area. It has a history dating back to the 8th century CE and is associated with Acharya Akalanka, a famous Jain philosopher and logician. The Munigiri Digambar Jain temple in Karanthai is replete with vestiges of times bygone. Inscriptions here mention that
Karanthai was a part of Thirukamakottapuram, situated in Kaliyur Nadu, a sub-division of Kaliyur Kottam, a district in Jayankonda Chola Mandalam.
This east-facing temple has a gopuram, leading to a large mandapam with 12 pillars studded with sculptures. The dwajasthambham (flag-post) and bali-pitham are in this mandapam. A few steps on the north and south from this pillared hall lead to another mandapam with Chola-era pillars, ahead of which is the principal sanctum enshrining a large golden colour image of Kunthunatha Bhagavan, the 17th Jain Tirthankara. To the right of this central shrine is a sanctum for Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, at an elevation, with 27 steps leading to it. There is a narrow prakaram around this sanctum. To the left of the Kunthunatha sanctum is another shrine, which is round at the back and has a stambha in front, enshrining Adinatha Bhagavan (Rishabhanatha), the first Jain Tirthankara.
Dharmadevi, a revered deity, is worshipped in a sanctum in the outer prakaram of this temple. The Vijayanagara-era mandapam in front of this Goddess is important as the ceiling is covered with murals dating to the Vijayanagara times, reminiscent of the famous Sangita Mandapa in the Varadhamana temple in Tiruparuttikunram near Kanchipuram. In the centre of the ceiling is a beautiful carving of the Ashtadik Palakas (guardians of the eight directions) on their respective vahanas. This intricate sculpture was originally painted in organic colours as the rest of the murals on the ceiling here.
Deities like Brahma Deva Yaksha, Parshwanatha Bhagawan, and Akalanka Acharya are also worshipped in this temple. Several inscriptions have been found here, the oldest of which are verses praising a Pallava king who fought at Tellaru, referring to Nandivarman Pallava III (847-862 CE). Among the Chola epigraphs, the earliest, dated 1068 CE belongs to the reign of Emperor Vira Rajendra.
An inscription of Kulottunga Chola I dated 1115 CE, etched on the base of the Vardhamana shrine, records a donation to the temple of Thirukatampalli Azhvar, which, according to scholars would refer to the Vardhamana Mahavira sanctum. Other Chola inscriptions of the 11th and 12th centuries mention Vira Rajendra Perumpalli and Vira Rajendra Perumpalli Azhvar. Thirteenth-century inscriptions of chieftains like Pallava Kopperujinga and Vijaya Gangadopala are here as also those of the Vijayanagara times.
Karanthai is about 15 km from Cheyyar and approximately 17 km from Kanchipuram.
