Kudnem Jain Temple
Kudnem (or Cudnem) is an ancient town of the Chalukyan period, situated in Bicholim taluk of north Goa district. A ruined Jain temple, belonging to the Vijayanagar period, is situated at this site the Aravalem Caves. Recent excavations have unearthed the structures of the building: the temple consisted of a mukhamandapa and a garbagriha, constructed of laterite on a two meters high platform. The entrance of garbagriha has an arch, the octagonal shikhara of the garbagriha has five tiers. The lower most is half spherical with a rectangular small entrance for the garbagriha.
A broken stone head of a tirthankara with beautifully sculpted curls was also found near the garbagriha. A stone torso of a Jain tirathankara with a srivatsa symbol was also unearthed. While desilting a well in the vicinity of the temple, at a depth of five meters, the right leg of a Statue was discovered. It appears that the broken head and the leg belonged to the same image. The sculptural structure of the idol indicates that the temple belongs to the Kadamba period.
Name:Kudnem Jain temple site Location:Kudnem Date of foundation:Vijayanagara period (14th-16th century CE)