Jain Temple Sultan Bathery

Jain Temple Sultan Bathery

The Jain temple Sultan Bathery in inextricably linked to the name of the town. It is said that Tipu Sultan, trying to evade the British, came here and hid in the dense forests, building up his army to recover his kingdom. He took over the local Jain Temple and converted it into a warehouse for storing his ammunition. The temple went on to resemble a fortification, and the town a battery, and thus came to be known as the Sultan’s Battery. The Jains themselves had come here to these hills, escaping from religious plains, and here they had found a haven. They constructed many temples, of which only a few remain today.

The temple at Sultan Bathery is among the oldest, and most intricate. It is now maintained by the ASI, and no prayers are held here. The idol has been moved to a newer temple, and the sanctum is empty. Every year, on Mahavir Jayanti, the idol is brought back to the temple in a procession, and prayers are held on a grand scale. Those are the only times the temple comes alive.

Look out for the intricate work on the pillars, depicting the rise of humans to divine status, as well as an elaborate Nagamandala―a snake twisted around itself, forming a pattern beautifully illustrated in stone. Sultan Bathery is about 31 km from Kalpetta and the temple is on the main road. It is open from 9 am to 5 pm, the duty hours of the caretaker