The presence of a large number of stone beds in the caverns all over Tamilnadu would indicate an equal number of Jaina monks occupying these resorts. Inscriptions engraved therein provide the names of resident monks and some of the sravakas who gifted the stone beds.

In the previous page we saw about the royal patronage extended to jaina monks and related inscriptions. An ascetic called Kasapan inhabited the cavern at Alagarmalai. Recluses like Chandranandi and Arathan were associated with the pallis at Tirunatharkundru and Paraiyanpattu respectively.

The stone beds at Mettapatti contain names of persons like Andai Ariti, Andai Iravatan, Andai Visuvan, Andai Sendan, Andai Chantan and Andai Kuvira. As their names are prefixed with the epithet 'Andai', which means "Holy Father", they are also considered to be recluses residing at Mettupatti.

When Jainism gained popular support in Tamil Nadu, the lay devotees started endowing the monastic organisations. Moreover, the members of mercantile groups also played a dominant role in the development of such institutions. They early brahmi inscriptions are replete with names of sravakas, who made provisions for the cutting of stone beds, lattice works, canopies, fronds, etc. The caverns at Anaimalai, Arittapatti, Kilavalavu and Vikramangalam had been endowed with stone beds by sravakas like Eri Aritan, Attuvai, Arattakayipan, Natan, Atananvoliyan, Ilavan, Kuviran and Senkuviran.

At Kongarpulyankulam, a lay devotee Uparuvan by name made a canopy to the cavern, while Ceruvatan plaited its fronds and Peratan Pitan of Pakanur thatched the canopy. The people of a village called Tidiyal were instrumental in cutting of stone beds as Mettupatti.

The keen interest evinced by the rich mercantile groups is also evident from many records. Atan: a goldsmith, Vijayan: a salt merchant, Elachantan: an iron monger, Ilava Atan: a cloth merchant of Venpalli and Tevanchattan: a merchant trading in precious stones had contributed by making stone beds in the monastic establishments at Alagarmalai and Arachalur.

A merchant guild (nigama) is known to have existed at Vellarai. Its members also patronised the palli at Mangulam, by providing stone beds. Besides, Kalitikaatantai's son who had a major role in the same merchant guild had caused to be given a latticework in the abode of the preceptor Kantinata at Mangulam.

With the rapid spread of Jainism, there arose several settlements of the Jaina community in different parts of Tamil Nadu. Though all those ancient centres are not known to us, some of them are referred to in epigraphs. Madurai, Vellarai, Tondi, Ponai, Potalai, Tidiyal, Eloyur, Venpalli, Nagaperu, Patinur, Nelveli, Nalliyur, Karur, Yarrur, Pakanur and Kunrattur had been important centres with a sizeable Jaina population, which lent its support to various monastic organisations. Amont the aforesaid centres, Madurai, Karur, Pakanur, Tondi, Vellarai (Tiruvellarai), Nagaperur (Nagamalai), Yarrur (Arrur) and Tidiyal (Tidyan) retain their old names even to the present day. The others remain unidentified since their names had undergone change in course of time. It may be said in passing that archaelogical spade work in these ancient settlements may throw fresh light on the material culture of the early Jains.

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