• Source: Kodigehalli inscriptions and hero stones

Kodigehalli inscriptions and herostones are a set of three Kannada inscriptions and two herostones located in Kodigehalli and its sub-localities Tindlu and Doddabommasandra in Bengaluru. Among them, the Kannada inscription of Prataparaya is very significant as it records a generous grant made by Prataparaya during the sacred hours of a Solar eclipse. The grant was given to the Someyadeva temple situated in Sakanasamudra. This inscription is significant to Indian Astronomical history as it mentions the precise date of the donation being made that is 08-Aug-1431CE Julian - 09-Aug-1431CE Julian and also mentions the day to be a solar eclipse which can be confirmed by the NASA Five Millenium Catalogue Of Solar Eclipses. This inscription has been published in Volume 9, Epigraphia carnatica and has been digitally archived by the Mythic Society in "Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project". Two other inscriptions of Tindlu and Doddabommasandra belong to the 14th and the 15th century CE respectively. The inscription in Tindlu documents a donation made by medieval merchant guilds of the region called Ubhayananadesis and Salumule, while the Doddabommasandra inscription is a donatory inscription to a Agrahara (Brahmin settlement). Kodigehalli is also home to two Herostones also called Viragal in Kannada, which are erected in the memory of people who die in battles or other conflicts, the herostones present here are only with sculptures without any inscription.




Kodigehalli 1431CE Inscription of Prathaparaya's Donation to God Someyadeva



The earliest inscription from Bengaluru region to make a reference to an astronomical event, this Kannada inscription dated to 1431 CE records a generous grant made by Prataparaya, the son of Mangappa Dandanayaka by the order of Devaraya the erstwhile king of the Karnataka Empire, during the sacred occasion of Solar eclipse. The grant was given to the Someyadeva temple situated in Sakanasamudra, which includes the satellite village of Virupakshapura in Devasamudra, along with a specified income of 20 gadyana (Gadyana was currency in use during the period of the Karnataka Empire). Additionally, 5 khandugas (a unit measure of area) of wetlands located south of the vast Devasamudra lake were also bestowed upon the temple. these grants were given to organize various rituals and entertainment events for the deity, to be conducted twice a day—once in the morning and once in the evening. The activities were anga-ranga vaibhoga, naivedya (ritual offerings of food and decorations), dance performances and other forms of entertainment. The performing team mentioned in the inscription included 2 actors, 1 dancer, 1 drummer, 1 sitar player, 1 upanga player and 1 kamsale dancer (as described in the inscription: pātrada jana 2 naṭṭavana jana 1 maddaḷekāṟana jana 1 sitārana jana 1 upāṃgada jana 1 kaṃsasāle jana 1). The donation was commanded by King Devaraya and executed by Parataparaya, with the intention of seeking the well-being and prosperity of King Devaraya. The inscription uses symbols to represent fractions such as one-fourth, one-half and three-fourths, denoted by the symbols |, || and |||. The donation quantities are written both in numbers and in words. The place name Kodigehalli is derived from the combination of two terms: "Kodige", meaning grant and "halli", meaning village. The Kodige in Kodigehalli was most likely inspired by this grant documented in the inscription and over the centuries, this name has gradually replaced the original name, Virupakshapura, to become known as Kodigehalli. The inscription mentions places which can be mapped to modern locations - 1) Vijayanagara (capital city of the Karnataka empire, Hampi), 2) Shivanasamudra (alias for Hessarghatta), 3) Yelahanka, 4) Devasamudra (MS Ramaiah hospital & RMV 2nd Phase), 5) Virupakshapura (Kodigehalli), 6) Vijaya Devarayapura (a new name given to Virupakshapura in the inscription) & 7) Devasamudra Hiriyakere (does not exist today - RMV Ph II is built over the lake bed). A children's story inspired by this inscription has also been published in the renowned Kannada magazine Mayura and is authored by Chitra Ramachandra and Vidya Murali.




= Discovery and Dating

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The Kannada inscription is published in Epigraphia carnatica, a compendium of Inscriptions in Karnataka by B.L Rice. The inscription was in a precarious condition on the roadside prior 2018 which was later shifted to a safe spot in the Halekote Anjaneya temple for its conservation, apart from this, it is also 3D scanned and archived by the Mythic Society's Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project. The inscription has been dated to 08-Aug-1431CE Julian - 09-Aug-1431CE Julian, the clear reference to the date has been mentioned in the inscription. The two herostones present in Kodigehalli are dated to 15th and 16th century CE and are well preserved as they are present in two temples in the locality.




= Physical Characteristics

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The inscription is 140 cm tall and 85 cm wide, the Kannada characters in the inscription are approximately 2 cm tall, 3 cm wide & 0.13 cm deep (shallow depth). The Sun, Moon are inscribed on the inscription stone which are symbolic representations indicating that the grant was intended to be perpetual or everlasting in nature.




= Transliterations of the inscription

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The transliterations of this inscription is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia carnatica and a rereading of the same has been published by the Mythic society of which is presented below.




= Translation of the inscription

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The text of the translation was also published in the Epigraphia carnatica Volume 9. It states the following,
"Obeisance to Ganadhipati. Obeisance to Shambhu.e it well. (On the date specified), when śrīmanmahārājādhirāja rājaparamesvara śrīvīra vijayabhūpatirāya mahārāyara's son devarāya mahārāyara, was ruling on the throne of Vijayanagara, was ruling the kingdom of the world in peace and wisdom, by the personal order of that Devaraya maharaya — for the offerings and decorations of (the god) Someyadeva in front of the town in Sakanasamudra, the great minister Mangappa-dannayaka's son Pratapa-Raya granted a dharma sasana as follows, for the offerings and decorations of the god Someyadeva we haeve granted the Virupakshapura village, whose rental is 20 honnu, a hamlet of Devasamudra in the Yelahanka-nad, belonging to and under Sivanasamudra granted for our office of Nayaka, — making it Vijayadevarayapura, and with that Devarayapura, land (specified) under the old tank of Devasamudra, — at the time of the eclipse of the sun, in order that long life, health and increase of wealth may be to Devaraya maharaya, and from love to Pararamesvara. Details of the rental, of the ceremonies to be performed and of the seven persons to be employed to minister to the god. Usual final verses. Written by Prataparaya."




= Astronomical Importance of the Inscription

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The inscription is among the two historical records of an Eclipse in the Bengaluru region, it is also testimony to the astronomical acumen of people in Bengaluru going back to the 15th Century CE. It mentions the date and day of the solar eclipse that occurred in 1431CE on which the donation was executed, its mention is of importance to astronomical history of India, the occurrence of it can be confirmed by the NASA Five Millenium Catalogue Of Solar Eclipses. The other inscription documenting an eclipse in the Bengaluru region is an inscription documented in the Epigraphia carnatica Volume 9 in the Agara region, the inscription is a donatory inscription dated to 1515 CE and was commissioned during the reign of Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire.




= Etymology of the term Sandra

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The inscription mentions terms like Shivanasamudra and Devanasamudra. The term Samudra used in names of places and lakes is of Sanskrit origin meaning ocean. It is often used is used as hyperbole for a lake. This nomenclature suggests that the village likely originated between the 1400s and 1600s. During this period, the term "Sandra" was commonly used in the naming of villages and the construction of lakes, as evidenced by numerous examples.




Herostones of Kodigehalli


Herostones or Viragal as they are called in Kannada are stones with sculptures with or without any inscription erected in memoriam of people who have sacrificed their lives in battles or other conflicts, two such Viragal of the 15th and 16th century CE is present in the Halekote Marammadevi temple and Sri Rama Mandira in Kodigehalli.




Tindlu 1368CE Donation Inscription



It is a Kannada inscription dated to 15-Jan-1368 Julian as mentioned in the inscription which records the donation by trader communities like Ubhayananadesis, Salumule made in the reign of King Bukka of the Karnataka Empire. The items and recipient of the donation is unclear as the stone is effaced. Ubhayananadesis and Salumule were well known trading communities of this time. It was first documented in Epigraphia carnatica Volume 9. It can be presently found in Veerabhadraswamy Temple at Tindlu.




= Physical Characteristics

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The inscription is 226 cm tall and 101 cm wide. The Kannada Characters are 5 cm tall, 4 cm wide & 0.18 cm deep (shallow depth).




= Transliterations of the Inscription

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The transliterations of this inscription is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia carnatica and a rereading of the same has been published by the Mythic society of which is presented below.




= Translation

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The text of the translation was also published in the Epigraphia carnatica Volume 9. It states the following,
"Be it well. (On the date specified), when the maha-mandalesvara, subduer of hostile kings, champion over kings who break their word, master of the four oceans, Bukkanna……(rest effaced)."




Doddabommasandra 15th Century CE Bukka-Nayaka Inscription


It is a Kannada inscription dated to the 15th century made in the reign of Praudaraya, King of the Karnataka Empire (Vijayanagara Empire) and is a donatory inscription with much of its content incomplete, It was made by one Bukka-Nayaka donating Bommahalli village in Kukkalanad to an Agrahara, a Brahmin settlement. It mentions an administrative unit called Kukkalanad. Its present physical status is not known.




= Transliterations of the Inscription

=
The transliterations of this inscription is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia carnatica and a rereading of the same has been published by the Mythic society of which is presented below.




= Translation

=
The text of the translation was also published in the Epigraphia carnatica Volume 9. It states the following,
"…. When the maha-mandalesvara praudha raya was ruling; the Kukkala-nad ruler Bukka-Nayaka granted Bommahalli in that nad, free of all imposts, for an agrahara, remitting the customs one way. Imprecation."




See also


Agara (Bengaluru) Inscriptions
Indian Astronomy




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Kodigehalli inscriptions and hero stones
• Agara inscriptions and hero stones
• Allalasandra inscriptions and hero stones
• Katigenahalli inscriptions and hero stones
• Bengaluru