Yanaimalai (Elephant Hill) is a protected monument and tourist attraction in Tamil Nadu, India. It has jain sculptures, a Shaivite temple, and a Vaishnavite temple.Yanaimalai is considered a sacred place by the Tamil Jain. Jain monks lived here during the Pandyan Dynasty. At the top of the hill can be found caves containing Jain bas relief sculptures of Mahavira, Gomateshwara, and other tirthankaras fashioned by Jain monks. There are also stone beds used by the monks for resting. Tamil-Brahmi and Vattelettu inscriptions can be found on the hill.
Two Hindu temples are present in the foothills, one being the Ladan cave temple (Ladan koil), a Shaivite temple dedicated to Muruga, and the other beingYoga Narasimha temple, a Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Vishnu.Both are rock-cut temples constructed by the Pandyas, belonging to the 8th century. The place where the Yoga Narasimha temple is situated is known as Narasingam.Tamil-Brahmi and Vattelettu inscriptions in the temples shows their history.The Ladan temple has been declared a protected monument by the Archeological Survey of India.
The hill of is rich in granite, and has been damaged by illegal quarrying.In 2010, the government of Tamil Nadu tried to set up a sculpture garden on the hill, but backed out after locals and activists protested against the idea.
