South Indian Inscriptions

BOMBAY KARNATAKA INSCRIPTIONS

VOLUME III

The Hoysalas

Two inscriptions of Vira-Ballala II of this dynasty may be reviewed here.  One of them (No. 193) gives the date as the 16^th year of his reign, cyclic year Plavanga, without any further details.  The cyclic year Plavanga during his reign coincided with A.D. 1187-88.  This would show that the first year of his reign was counted from A.D. 1172-73 and since we know that he was crowned in A.D. 1173, the reckoning found in this record should be considered to have started from the date of his coronation.  The second record (No. 195) however shows a different reckoning.  The date found in this record is his 13^th regnal year, Dundubhi, Vaisakha su. 15, Monday, Samkranti, corresponding to A.D. 1202, Aprial 8.  Accordingly the commencement of his reign should have taken place some time before 8^th Aprial, 1190.  This date would show that Ballala established a second reckoning of his own, after acquiring the sovereignty of the Western Chalukyas, a year earlier than the date fixed for this even by Fleet.  Thus there were two reckonings current for the commencement of this king’s reign.

No. 193

(B.K. No. 12 of 1934-35)

Bilahalli, Ranebennur Taluk, Dharwar District

Hero stone set up in the temple of Kallesvara

Vira-Ballala II – A.D. 1187-88

This inscription is dated in the 16^th regnal year of Vira-Ballaladeva, Plavanga which corresponds to A.D. 1187-88.  Further details of the date or lost.  It records the death of Dasoa, son of the goldsmith [So]voja, in a cattle-raid and registers a gift of land by some Gaudas for the hero-stone set up by his brother Masaloja and Ketoja.  The record is damaged.

No. 194

(B.K. No. 93 of 1933-34)

Honnatti, Ranebennur Taluk, Dharwar District

Slab lying in the temple of Narayanadeva

Vira-Ballala II-A.D. 1197

This inscription is dated in the [7]th regnal year of  Vira-Ballaladeva, Pingala Pushya su. [2], U[ttara]yana-samkrmana, Sunday.  The date is irregular.  On the tithi given the weekday was Friday which correspond to A.D. 1197, December 12.  Ba. 2 of this month however was Sunday, 28^th December 1197, and the Uttarayana-samkramana had occurred on the 25^th.  It records the gift of an oil-mill and a house-site by Polalva-Dandanayaka amd Rajadhyaksha Davanna to the temple of Kesavadeva of Hommavatti.

No. 195

(B.K. No. 7 of 1934-35)

Benakankonda, Ranebennur Taluk, Dharwar District

Slab set up near the southern entrance of the Kalamesvara temple

Vira-Ballala II-A.D. 1202

This inscription is dated in the 13^th year of the reign of Vira-Ballaladeva, Dundubhi, Vaisakha su. 15, Monday, Sankranti.  Palaeographically the record may be assigned roughly to the 12^th century A.D. and hence the Ballala of this record may be identified with Ballala II.  In his reign the cyclic year Dudubhi corresponds to A.D. 1202-3.  In that year the given details correspond to A.D. 1202, April 8, Monday f.d.t. .06.  The month was Adhika Vaisakha.

It registers a grant of land and house-site made by the Prabhu of Belugali and others to Chaudeya-Nayaka and others for effecting repairs to the tank of Harakata.  The grant was made during the time of Kumara Vira-Vikramaditya, the son of Mahamandalesvara Jagadala Chattamadeva.  The land-measure Gangana-ghale is mentioned.

The record, which contains many scribal errors has been engraved very carelessly.

No. 196

(B.K. No. 88 of 1932-33)

Haveri, Haveri Taluk, Dharwar District

Has been in the Navaranga-mantapa in the Siddhesvara temple

Vira-Ballala II-A.D. 1207

This inscription is dated in the cyclic year Prabhava of the reign of Vira-Ballala, Vaisakha ba. 8, Saturday.  On paleographic grounds the present record may be assigned to the reign of Vira-Ballala II.  In his reign the details correspond regularly to A.D. 1207, Aprial 21, Saturday.  It records the gift of money made by Surigeya Pirumaleyanna, son of Mahapradhana, Sarvadhikari and Mahapasayta Odeyanna, the sword-bearer, for burning a perpetual lamp to god Siddhanathadeva.  The gift was entrusted to Galatigeya Malli-etti, in the presence of the devotees and the Four-hundred (Mahajanas).  A supplementary grant made for the same purpose and to the same person by Heggade Vaijayya has also been recorded.

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