Thirakoil is a village in Tellar taluk in Tiruvannamalai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The major occupation of the people living in this place is agriculture.
Etymology
It is believed that this place got its name from the word "thurugal" () meaning rock. Later it modified to "thirakol" () then became Thirakoil ().
Information
Name of the Place = Thirakoil
Taluk = Tellar
District = Tiruvannamalai
State = Tamil Nadu
Country = India
Coordinates = 12°27'9"N 79°29'55"E
Area = 1 km2
Population = 953 (2011) Maximum People = Yadhava
Location
Thirakoil is located 15 km southwest of Vandavasi, 7 km from Ponnur Kundkundar Philosophical Center. Thirakoil hill runs 1 km in northeast direction.
Transportation
Only private bus facilities are available to the nearest place Desur and Kilputhur. One has to walk approximately one km to reach Thirakoil.
Thirakoil Hill and the Digambara Jain Temple
There are three small caves present in the hill. One at the mid-South, other two at west and east side of the hill. These caves were used as Jain abodes during 8th Century.These caves were naturally formed in which Jain Monks lived. There is a monolithic stone of 25 feet high in which idols of four tirthankars (Mahavira, Parshva or Parsavanathar, Rishabha or Kilaku Rishabanathar and Chandranathar) were carved nicely at the four sides. Until the 10th century this place was called Thandapuram (). Raja Raja Chola I's inscriptions of 1007 A. D. quotes these cave abodes as Sankaraippalli () and Mai Sutthappalli (). Bhagavan Mahavira's idol is worshipped at the temple which is recently built.
See also
Jainism
Tamil Jain
List of Jain temples
Jain Sculpture
Jain temple
References
Leaflet provided by Thirakoil Digambara Jain temple committee
http://www.tamiljains.org/
http://ddws.gov.in/ddwsimis/RuralWaterSupply/Reports/ReportYSRHabitationDistrict.aspx?districtId=0447&districtname=TIRUVANNAMALAI L. Kumar, "Battle of Wandewash-250" (வந்தவாசிப் போர்-250), Akani Publications, Compiled by M. Rajendiran and A. Vennila, 2010 (In Tamil)