Kadambas of Halasi

Bhuvaraha Narasimha temple Halasi, Karnataka

Kadambas of Halasi is located in South Asia
South Asia
1175 CE
KARAKHANID
KHANATE
QARA KHITAI
GHURID
EMPIRE
KUMAON
CHAULUKYAS
CHAHAMANAS
LATE
GHAZNAVIDS
PARAMARAS
WESTERN
CHALUKYAS
KAKATIYAS
SHILA-
HARAS
CHOLAS
CHERAS
PANDYAS
KADAMBAS
HOYSALAS
GAHADAVALAS
GUHILAS
KACHCHAPA-
GHATAS
CHANDELAS
KALACHURIS
(TRIPURI)
KALACHURIS
(RATNAPURA)
SENAS
KARNATAS
NAGVANSIS
KAMARUPAS
EASTERN
GANGAS
GUGE
MARYUL
LOHA-
RAS
SOOMRA
EMIRATE
MAKRAN
SULTANATE
 
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Location of the Kadambas, and neighbouring South Asian polities in 1175, on the eve of the Ghurid invasions of the subcontinent.[1][2]
Kadambas of Halasi is located in India
Hangal
Hangal
Goa
Goa
Halasi
Halasi
Bayalnad
Bayalnad
Hangal
Hangal
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The various centers of the Kadambas
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The Kadambas of Halasi was a South Indian dynasty during the Late Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Halasi, Karnataka; who were known for their own style of temple building. The Kadamba dynasty was founded by Mayurasharma in about 4th century AD. It was believed that Mayura was the first king of the dynasty and was the ruler during the time of Pallava King Vishnugopa of Kanchipuram. After losing to North Indian Emperor Samudragupta, Vishnugopa’s army had weakened. Mayura seized the opportunity, formed his own army and drove away the Pallavas from Kannada territory. On reaching Chandravalli (near Chitradurga), Mayura took shelter in a cave and founded his own dynasty. Banavasi, near Sirsi, was their first capital and their rule extended to Gomantak or present day Goa.

Halasi (Halsi or Halshi) is one of the ancient towns in Belgaum district. It was Second capital of early Kadambas and a minor capital (during 980 AD - 1250 AD)[3] under later Kadambas. where there are Bhoo Varaha Narasimha temple, Suvarneshwara temple, Kapileshwar temple, Hatakeshwara temple, Kalmeshwara temple, Gokarneshwara temple and a Jain basadi built by the Kadamba rulers.

Halasi was a centre of confluence of Jainism, Vaishnavism and Shaivism during early Kadambas. It was headquarters of Halasige-12,000 province including parts of Belgaum District, Dharwad District and Haveri District.

Kadambas ruled Goa, Halasi as Capital.[4]

Halasi Inscriptions

Full scale excavations at Halasi and Gudnapur are bound to yield the brick temples of this early period. That would, show the contribution of the Kadambas of Banavasi to the Jaina architecture of Karnataka. The existence of Jaina temples during the period of the Banavasi Kadambas is amply evidenced by their epigraphs.[5]

All the inscriptions mention gifts for worship and repair to Jaina temples. However, many of them refer to a Jaina temple at Halasi. The Jaina temple now standing at Halasi can be dated from no earlier than the 11th century A.D. As to the basadis referred to in the inscriptions, perhaps they might have been built of perishable wood.

The earliest references to a grant by a Kadamba king to a Jaina saint is found in the Halasi copper plate of Kakusthavarma. It mentions that the granted village Khatagrama belonged to arhanta. However, a reference to a Jain temple (Chaityalaya) is found in the Devagiri copper plate of Mrigesavarma. The inscription states that Mrigesavarma gave a grant for the sammarjana, upalepana, archana and bhagnasamskara of the Chaityalaya located at Brihatparalur. Further he also donated for the enclosure of the Chaityalaya one nivartana of land. This clearly shows that the above Chaityalaya was big enough to have an enclosure also. In the Devagiri inscription of Vijaya Siva Mrigesavarma a reference is made to arhat sale where an image of Jinendra was kept. Mrigesavarma's Halasi inscription of 8th regnal year states that the king built a Jinalaya in memory of his father in Palasika and granted lands to saints of Yapaniya, nirgrantha and kurchaka sangha. Ravivarma's eleventh regnal year inscription found at Halasi refers to a grant for the abhisheka of Jinendra. Obviously this refers to a Jaina temple. Another inscription of the same king refers to the worship of Jinendra for which four nivartanas of land was granted .

The Halasi inscription of Ravivarma refers to interesting information. It states that the income from the gifted village should be used for eight-day festival in Kartikamasa in the Jinalaya at Palasikanagara. It states at the end wherever Jinendra worship takes place properly, that place will prosper without any fear from enemies and the prowess of the king will improve. The Devagiri plates of prince Devavarma refers to gifts for the worship in the Chaityalaya and for the repairs of the Chaityalaya.

The famous Gudnapur inscription of Ravivarman is more explicit on this point. According to this inscription King Ravivarma built a temple, Kamajinalaya for Manmatha, very near the palace (rajavesma) and arranged for its worship by granting lands. At the same time he also gave grants to Kamajinalaya at Hakinipalli and Padmavati temple at Kalliligrama.

According to Dr. B.R. Gopal who has edited this inscription has suggested that this Kamajinalaya is a temple for Bahubali, as Bahubali is described as Manmatha. If this is so, the tradition of erecting gommata sculptures dates from the period of Kadambas and to sixth century A.D.

Dr. A. Sundara has discovered a sculpture of Rati and Manmatha at the same place. Whether this was the sculpture worshipped in the Kamajinalya is uncertain. What is more important is the tradition of building Jaina temples for Manmatha and Padmavati.

According to A. Sundara's field work at Halasi throws very important light on this point. Very close to the Kallesvara temple at Halasi, he discovered an ancient site dates from the megalithic and early historic periods. A large number of brick walls of the ancient period have been noticed by him in and around and he thinks that this represents the Jaina temple built during the Kadamba period.

In the Mrigesavarman of Kadambas of Palasika (AD 475-490) inscription mention about Yapaniya.

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Northwestern India
(Punjab-Sapta Sindhu)
Indo-Gangetic Plain Central India Southern India
Upper Gangetic Plain
(Ganga-Yamuna doab)
Middle Gangetic Plain Lower Gangetic Plain
IRON AGE
Culture Late Vedic Period Late Vedic Period
(Srauta culture)[a]
Painted Grey Ware culture
Late Vedic Period
(Shramanic culture)[b]
Northern Black Polished Ware
Pre-history
 6th century BCE Gandhara Kuru-Panchala Magadha Adivasi (tribes) Assaka
Culture Persian-Greek influences "Second Urbanisation"
Rise of Shramana movements
Jainism - Buddhism - Ājīvika - Yoga
Pre-history
 5th century BCE (Persian conquests) Shaishunaga dynasty Adivasi (tribes) Assaka
 4th century BCE (Greek conquests) Nanda empire
HISTORICAL AGE
Culture Spread of Buddhism Pre-history
 3rd century BCE Maurya Empire Satavahana dynasty
Sangam period
(300 BCE – 200 CE)
Early Cholas
Early Pandyan Kingdom
Cheras
Culture Preclassical Hinduism[c] - "Hindu Synthesis"[d] (ca. 200 BC - 300 CE)[e][f]
Epics - Puranas - Ramayana - Mahabharata - Bhagavad Gita - Brahma Sutras - Smarta Tradition
Mahayana Buddhism
 2nd century BCE Indo-Greek Kingdom Shunga Empire
Maha-Meghavahana Dynasty
Satavahana dynasty
Sangam period
(300 BCE – 200 CE)
Early Cholas
Early Pandyan Kingdom
Cheras
 1st century BCE
 1st century CE

Indo-Scythians
Indo-Parthians

Kuninda Kingdom
 2nd century Kushan Empire
 3rd century Kushano-Sasanian Kingdom Kushan Empire Western Satraps Kamarupa kingdom Adivasi (tribes)
Culture "Golden Age of Hinduism"(ca. CE 320-650)[g]
Puranas
Co-existence of Hinduism and Buddhism
 4th century Kidarites Gupta Empire
Varman dynasty
Andhra Ikshvakus
Kalabhra dynasty
Kadamba Dynasty
Western Ganga Dynasty
 5th century Hephthalite Empire Alchon Huns Vishnukundina
Kalabhra dynasty
 6th century Nezak Huns
Kabul Shahi
Maitraka Adivasi (tribes) Vishnukundina
Badami Chalukyas
Kalabhra dynasty
Culture Late-Classical Hinduism (ca. CE 650-1100)[h]
Advaita Vedanta - Tantra
Decline of Buddhism in India
 7th century Indo-Sassanids Vakataka dynasty
Empire of Harsha
Mlechchha dynasty Adivasi (tribes) Badami Chalukyas
Eastern Chalukyas
Pandyan Kingdom (Revival)
Pallava
 8th century Kabul Shahi Pala Empire Eastern Chalukyas
Pandyan Kingdom
Kalachuri
 9th century Gurjara-Pratihara Rashtrakuta dynasty
Eastern Chalukyas
Pandyan Kingdom
Medieval Cholas
Chera Perumals of Makkotai
10th century Ghaznavids Pala dynasty
Kamboja-Pala dynasty
Kalyani Chalukyas
Eastern Chalukyas
Medieval Cholas
Chera Perumals of Makkotai
Rashtrakuta
References and sources for table

References

  1. ^ Samuel
  2. ^ Samuel
  3. ^ Michaels (2004) p.39
  4. ^ Hiltebeitel (2002)
  5. ^ Michaels (2004) p.39
  6. ^ Hiltebeitel (2002)
  7. ^ Michaels (2004) p.40
  8. ^ Michaels (2004) p.41

Sources

  • Flood, Gavin D. (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge University Press
  • Hiltebeitel, Alf (2002), Hinduism. In: Joseph Kitagawa, "The Religious Traditions of Asia: Religion, History, and Culture", Routledge
  • Michaels, Axel (2004), Hinduism. Past and present, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press
  • Samuel, Geoffrey (2010), The Origins of Yoga and Tantra. Indic Religions to the Thirteenth Century, Cambridge University Press

See also

References

  1. ^ Chandra, Satish (2004). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One. Har-Anand Publications. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-81-241-1064-5.
  2. ^ Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 32, 146. ISBN 0226742210.
  3. ^ "Ancient temples in neglect". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 12 September 2007. Archived from the original on 17 October 2008. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  4. ^ "K'taka claim provokes Goa". Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2009.
  5. ^ "JAINA MONUMENTS IN NORTH KARNATAKA". By Dr. A. V. Narasimha Murthy. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2008.