DOMLUR INSCRIPTIONS AND HERO
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Tamil inscriptions of BengaluruThere are nearly a thousand inscriptions in Tamil in the Southern Karnataka districts of Bangalore, Mysore, Kolar and Mandya in India. Nearly one third of these inscriptions are found in the Kolar District. Of all the inscriptions collected and published in the Epigraphia Carnatica Vol X for Kolar district , a fourth are in Tamil. The Tamil inscriptions start to appear around 1000 AD, after the conquest of the region by the Chola dynasty king Rajaraja I. Even after the Cholas left the area, the Hoysala and later the Vijaynagar kingdoms continued to use Tamil in the inscriptions. Tamil inscriptions are found south of the Pennar-Ponnaiyar divide, running south west from Bangalore to Mysore. Several Tamil inscriptions are found in the Honnu-Hole basin. Numerous Tamil inscriptions can be found in the Bangalore Rural district, especially in the Nelamangala and Hoskote taluks. The Mukti Natheshwara temple at Nelmangala have Tamil inscriptions of Kulothunga Chola I, dating back to the 11 Century. At Kadugodi, there is one inscription from the period of Rajendra Chola's rule, that records donations for developing the Pattandur lake.
Domlur inscriptions and hero stonesDomlur is a locality in the eastern part of Bengaluru city in India. Domlur is a historic place as indicated in the 18 inscriptions spanning the period of 1200-1440 CE was found there. Of these, 16 inscriptions are at the Chokkanathaswamy Temple dedicated to the deity Chokkanathaswamy or the Chokka Perumal (the Hindu God Vishnu). Of these eleven inscriptions are from the period 1200-1440 CE and have been documented earlier in Epigraphia Carnatica, Vol 9. These are mostly donatory inscriptions for the deity Chokkanathaswamy and for the Someshwara temple (non-existent). Domlur has been referred as Tombalur, Dombalur and Desi Manicka Patanam in the inscriptions. All the inscriptions barring one are located in the precincts of the Chokkanathaswamy Temple. The earliest mention of "Domlur" can be found in the Chokkanathaswamy Temple. 13th century CE Tripurantaka Perumal Enbe Devar Tamil inscription, it mentions Domlur in the Tamil form as Tombalur, proving the existence of Domlur at least since the 13th century. The Karnataka State Gazateer, Part 1, 1990, records the discovery of an 8th-century Bhairava idol in Domlur by S R Rao, renowned Archaeologist of ASI in 1975. This suggests that Domlur may have held significance as a settlement even during that time. Unfortunately, neither the idol nor S R Rao's documentation concerning it can be traced today.
Singapura inscriptions and hero stonesSingapura is a historic locality in northwestern Bengaluru, with evidence indicating human habitation dating back to 2,500 to 3,000 years. Singapura is renowned for the Varadarajaswamy Temple. Historically, it was referred to as the Tiruvengalanatha Temple. This revered temple has a history spanning over 500 years, documented in inscriptions found in neighboring villages of Chikkabettahalli and Harohalli, dating to the 16th century. These inscriptions, along with others from Singapura itself, record grants made to the Ramanujakoota, a prominent Sri Vaishnavite religious organization established in honor of Ramanujacharya. Notably, the name Singapura is mentioned in an inscription dated to 1528 CE. The 1915 map shows Singapura as a vast revenue village, encompassing two lakes, a pond, eight wells, three water holes, and five hillocks. Covering seven kilometers in perimeter and 3.3 square kilometers(815 acres), the village was substantial. The 1871 Mysore state Census recorded 34 homes and 133 residents in Singapura. Today, this historic area is home to over 40,000 people.
Inscription stones of BengaluruInscription stones of Bengaluru refers to numerous historical stone plaques, tablets, and rock carvings bearing inscriptions (epigraphs) and sometimes sculptures (such as hero stones) found throughout the Bengaluru metropolitan area in Karnataka, India. Within the limits of the modern Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, approximately 175 such stones have been documented in various historical surveys and publications. These artifacts, dating from the Ganga dynasty period (c. 4th century CE) through the Chola, Hoysala, Vijayanagara, Maratha, Mysore Kingdom, and British periods up to the early 20th century, provide invaluable primary source material for understanding the region's history, toponymy, language evolution, socio-religious practices, and administrative structures. They include various types, such as Vīragallu (hero stones), grant inscriptions (recording donations of land or taxes), temple inscriptions, royal decrees, Nisidhi stones (Jain memorials), and records of construction activities. Written predominantly in Kannada and Tamil languages and scripts, with some examples in Telugu, Sanskrit, Grantha, and Persian, these inscriptions are distributed across numerous historical localities within modern Bengaluru, including Begur, Hebbal, Malleshwaram, Kodigehalli, Domlur, and Yelahanka. Within the limits of the modern Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, approximately 175 such stones have been documented in various historical surveys and publications.Notable discoveries include the Begur inscription (c. 890 CE), which contains the earliest known written reference to the name "Bengaluru". Systematic documentation began with B. Lewis Rice's Epigraphia Carnatica in the late 19th century, followed by publications from the Mysore Archaeological Department and others. However, rapid urbanization, neglect, and weathering pose significant threats to the survival of these artifacts. Preservation efforts are undertaken by governmental bodies like the Karnataka State Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, alongside non-governmental organizations such as The Mythic Society, INTACH Bengaluru Chapter, and citizen initiatives like the 'Inscription Stones of Bengaluru' project, which focuses on discovery, documentation, digital preservation, and raising public awareness.
Basavanagudi inscriptions and hero stonesThe Basavanagudi Inscriptions are a set of three Kannada and one Tamil inscriptions that can be found in the locality of Basavanagudi. Of the four, three Kannada inscriptions are physically present and the fourth Tamil inscription's physical status remains unknown. The available Kannada inscriptions can be found in Bugle rock park and Dodda Basavana Gudi or Big bull temple. Two inscriptions found in the vicinity of Dodda Basavana Gudi or Big bull temple, both describe the Vrishabhavati river's origin as coming from the feet of the Basava idol in the temple's sanctum and flowing westwards thereon as Paschimavahini. The two inscriptions can be found: one on the pedestal of the Basava deity in the sanctum and the other on a boulder in the shrubbery surrounding the temple. Two more inscriptions that are published, one is a one line Tamil inscription in Grantha script published in Epigraphia Carnatica and is about possible donatory inscription to the Chokkanathaswamy Temple in Domlur, a locality in Bengaluru, its physical status is not known at present and the other is a one line Kannada inscription in the Kannada script published in Itihasa Darshana Journal and is present on a boulder in the Bugle rock park in Basavanagudi is about one Deevatige Soma .
Belathur inscriptions and hero stonesBelathur, a sub-locality in Kadugodi, is home to a 15th-century CE Kannada donatory inscription that records a donation by a Devijeeya who erected a pillar for the Tirumala deity and also that he donated four Khandugas of land for the purpose of neivedya (food) offerings to the deity, it was commissioned during the rule of Saaraki's Pemayanayka's son Pemeyanayaka, a feudal chief under the king Devaraya II of the Karnataka Empire (Vijayanagara Empire). Saraki as mentioned in this inscription is a suburb in Bengaluru city. This inscription gives a genealogy of four generations Toravali naadu's rulers as Maachideva-Devijeeya-Chokkijeeya-Devijeeya, Toravali naadu is an administrative in the erstwhile empire, the geographic boundaries of this region remains unknown. The inscription mentions the grant of certain khandugas of land, khanduga is a unit of area measurement. The donation to the Tirumala deity of Belathur is also recorded in an inscription in the Domlur Chokkanathaswamy Temple 16th-century Allapan Inscription, an inscription among the Domlur Inscriptions. This inscription has been documented in Epigraphia Carnatica Vol-9 as Hoskote Inscription Number 155. The Inscription is found at the Radha Rukmini Venugopala Swamy Temple in Belathur.
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