Constructed in the 13th century, the temple served as a major religious center for the local Jain community for hundreds of years. Its fate changed drastically in the 1780s when Tipu Sultan utilized the temple as a battery (ammunition store) for his army during his Malabar invasion. This military use led to the town being renamed from 'Kidanganad' to 'Sulthan Bathery' (Sultan's Battery).

The Granite Bastion

The temple is an architectural marvel of **granite masonry**. It features a square 'Garbhagriha' (sanctum), a 'Sukanasi', and a 'Mandapa'. The pillars are square and heavy, typical of the **Vijayanagara style**, with some featuring delicate carvings of flowers and geometric patterns. The roof is made of massive overlapping granite slabs. The most striking feature is the absence of a 'Shikhara' (tower), giving it the low, grounded profile of a fortress, which likely made it attractive for military use.

While there is no mythological legend in the Hindu Puranic sense, the temple was dedicated to the 24th Tirthankara, Mahavira. It is said that when Tipu Sultan's forces arrived, the local Jain community hid the main idols to protect them. One of these ancient idols is now preserved and worshipped at a nearby Jain temple in Ananthnath Swami Temple, Kalpetta.

Worship here is silent and contemplative. Visitors often spend time meditating within the cool granite halls. The atmosphere is heavy with the weight of history, inviting reflection on the dual nature of the building as both a house of peace and a warehouse of war.

While the temple is no longer a site of daily public worship, **Mahavir Jayanti** is celebrated here with great reverence by the local Jain community. During this time, the temple comes alive with lamps and special prayers, momentarily returning to its original spiritual purpose.

Modern visitors and locals often speak of the **'Underground Tunnels'**. Local folklore suggests that secret tunnels once connected this temple to the nearby forests and even as far as Mysore, used by Tipu Sultan’s scouts. While archaeological evidence for such long tunnels is thin, the belief persists. There is also a local saying that the 'silence of the stones' in Sulthan Bathery is different from any other temple—that the granite remembers the echoes of both chants and cannons.