Sittanavasal - Ajantha Caves of South

Sittanavasal is a corruption of Sit-tan-na-va-yil in Tamil, which means ‘the abode of great saints’. Located at a distance of 58-km from Trichy is Sittanavasal, a site of an ancient Jain monastery with fine fresco paintings in a rock cave. Many of them are typical of the 9th century Pandyan period and include exquisitely detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses from a pond and two dancing figures. There are also inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries

Sittanavasal is another important excursion destination from the city. The place is particularly famous for an ancient Jain monastery with exquisite fresco paintings inside the cave. The paintings here are exquisitely detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses from a pond and two dancing figures.

Rules on painting are given in texts called the Silpa Sastras, and according to these there is a difference in the art heritage of Ajanta and its southern counterpart. The Ajanta murals are painted in the tempora style, using the dry technique. A base is prepared on the rough walls and then covered with a coating of lime plaster. Paint is applied on a dry background.


The walls, ceiling, cornice, beams and pillars of the Sittannavasal cave were originally decorated with paintings. Those on the walls have perished, and those on the ceilings, beams and the upper parts of the pillars alone survive, albeit partly. Of these, the remnants of the (mostly disfigured) paintings on the pillars and the lotus pool scene on the ceiling of the main hall or ardha-mandapam and the carpet canopy on the ceiling of the inner shrine are the most important.

All these treasures, which rank among the great heritage of India, are unfortunately greatly disfigured, mainly due to vandalism within the last 50-60 years. This national heritage monument reminds the visitor more of poor maintenance than the wonderful history it should evoke.

Sad to say, the condition of the park also reflects the present condition of the famous mural Cave