Samanar – Site 3
Map: 9° 55′ 19.20″ N, 78° 2′ 47.40″ E, 152m
Location: Keellakuyilakudi (கீழக்குயிலக்குடி), 8km east of Madurai city, Tamil Nadu, India
Slightly hidden away on the side of the hill of Site 2. It’s about 10min walk from the lotus pond. To get to it, walk past the lotus pond, past the Hindu temple, past the banyan trees (i.e. the banyan trees away from the lotus pond area), and after a short 20m or so, you’ll see an opening of steps between two big boulders. A climb of about 120 steps will get you to the mouth of the cave.
Lotus Pond
Path to cave.
Cave
Mahavira
Cave entrance.
Four mahavira's including a female mahavira (rightmost). Keep in mind that this was at a time when other cultures (in particular in the Middle-East religions) were still persecuting anyone who dared profess a connection to god (that was reserved only for their "prophet") -- and it was even more tragic for females -- who were treated as heretics.