Marakkonam

CHENNAI: It is difficult to find any idol inside the eighth century Jain temple in Marakkonam, a village near Vandavasi in Tiruvannamali district. All that you will find are two rock sculptures of Jain tirthankaras in sitting posture one near the pillars at the entrance of the ruined structure and the other, a few feet away, under a tree.

A decade ago, residents installed an idol of Ganesha close to the main structure. Since the temple was lying abandoned for a long time, no one in the village knew for which deity it was dedicated. The temple is in virtual ruins now.