Located about 16 km northwest of Pudukkottai town in Tamil Nadu, these famous rock-cut caves are known for their Jain mural paintings. These murals closely resemble the paintings of Ajanta and Bagh. The paintings are found on the walls, ceilings, and pillars, and their central theme is Jain Samavasarana (the preaching hall).
Some scholars attribute these caves to the Pallava period, when King Mahendravarman I excavated the temple, while others believe they belong to the 7th century Pandya period when the shrine was renovated. The paintings were executed using vegetable and mineral dyes applied on a thin layer of wet lime plaster. Common colours include yellow, green, orange, blue, black, and white.
The central element of the Sittanavasal paintings is a lotus pond from which monks are shown collecting flowers. Ducks, swans, fishes, and animals are also depicted. This scene represents Samavasarana, the divine audience hall where Tirthankaras delivered sermons after attaining kevala-jnana. Bulls, elephants, apsaras, and gods are shown gathered to witness this grand event.