Lakkundi – Inscriptions

Inscriptions

J Burgess enumerated thirty-five inscriptions at Lakkundi, the same number is also accepted by J Campbell in Bombay gazetteer. However, the Dharwad gazetteer provides count of twenty-nine inscriptions.

1. On a slab set up near the Jain Basti – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 52 – dated saka 929, corresponding 1007 CE – The inscription composed in Sanskrit and Kannada refers itself to the reign of Ahavamalladeva, but, is dated Saka 929. On account of the date, the record has to be assigned to the time of Irivabedanga Satyashraya, who must have also had the surname or title Ahavamalla.  The inscription contains the interesting reference to the king’s conquest of the Gurjara country.  It registers a gift of land, made by Attiyabbe, wife of the chief Nagadeva, son of Dhalla, of the Vaji family, to the Jaina temple constructed by her at Lokkigundi (modern Lakkundi), while her son Padevala (General) Taila was governing the Masavadi country.  The gift was made into the hands of her preceptor Archanandi-pandita of the Surasta-gana and the Kaurur-gachchha.  The epigraph records certain interesting miracles connected with the life of Attiyabbe.
2. On four pieces of a broken slab lying in the compound of the Jain Basti – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 53 – This inscription, which is very much mutilated, is almost a copy of the foregoing record except in the last few lines.  It refers to Lokkigundi, Nagadeva, Padevala Tailapayya and Attiyabbe, who obtained the sasana from king Ahavamalla.  The portion giving the date is partly lost.  But Phalguna and Nandisvarashtami of the previous inscription find mention in this record also.  It is not improbable that the previous inscription was engraved in consequence of the breakage in the stone containing the present epigraph.
3. On the wall of the Mallikarjuna temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 533 – dated saka 998, corresponding 1076 CE – It records a gift to the god Kalideva by Samkarakoti, disciple of Devendra-pandita.  Ruvari Ketoja engraved the record.
4. On a pillar in the mandapa of the Somesvara Temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 187 – dated Chalukya-Vikrama year 28, corresponding 1104 CE – It registers a gift of cloth made by Sankimayya-Nayaka and Mahadeva-Bhatta.
5. On a pillar in the mandapa of the Somesvara Temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 193 – dated Chalukya-Vikrama year 43, corresponding 1118 CE – It registers gift of the dasavanda income from the smithy of the god Bharatesvara, made by Ketoja and Ganga to the god.  The Hundred-and-twenty Families were witnesses to this.
6. On a slab built into the wall of the Virabhadra Temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 196 – dated Chalukya-Vikrama year 45, corresponding 1121 CE – It registers gifts of gold for various charities made by Nanimayya Nayaka for the merit of his father Tikimayya Nayaka and his mother Rannikabbe.  The village Lokkigundi and the Thousand mahajanas of that place are praised.
7. On a slab lying near the Kashi-Vishvanatha Temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XI, no 202 – This inscription refers itself to the reign of Tribhuvanamalladeva (Vikramaditua VI, 1075-1126 CE) – not dated – The village Lokkigundi and its One-thousand Mahajanas are praised.
8. On the wall of the Mallikarjuna temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 21 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Jagadhekamalla II – dated in cyclic year, corresponding 1140 CE – It seems to registers a gift to the god Telligesvara, by a Dandanayaka (name lost) who was a local Heggade.  The epigraph is broken off on one side.
9. On a beam of the Kashi-Vishvanatha temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 48 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Tribhuvanamalla (Tailapa III) – dated in his third regnal year, corresponding 1152 CE – The inscription may refer to the reign of Vikramaditya VI, but his 3rd regnal year did not fall in Prajapati.  The 3rd regnal year Prajapati, however fits in for the reign of Tailapa III. In that case, we have to assume that Tribhuvanamalla was Somesvara IV and that he was associated with his father Tailapa III in the administration of the kingdom from the beginning.  The epigraph registers a gift of gold made by Perggadeyara Tribhuvanakesava described as the ‘dear son’ of the Thousand Mahajanas of Lokkigundi for the offerings to the god Kavatalesvara.  The gift was entrusted to Somesvara-pandita, the acharya of the temple.  A gift of land for the offerings to the same god made by Sovisetti is also recorded.
10. On a beam of the Kashi-Vishvanatha temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 50 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Trailokyamalla (Tailapa III) – dated in his sixth regnal year, corresponding 1156 CE – It registers a gift of land made by Kaleyanayaka, son of Makestara Makimayya-nayaka to Monideva for his bhiksha.  The donee in turn gave it for feeding the ascetics who visited the temple of Kavatala Chavundesvara at Lokkigundi.  Kaleyanayaka is described as the son, i.e., lay disciple, of Monideva, who was the disciple of Samavedideva, the acharya of the temple of Ramesvara of Huligere.
11. On a slab built into a plat form of Vishvanatha temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 109 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Bijjala (1130-1167 CE) – not dated – It describes the agrahara of Lokkigundi and mentions its One Thousand Mahajanas.  The rest of the record is effaced.
12. On a pillar to the right of the entrance into the Jain basti – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 119 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Rayamurari Sovideva – dated in the sixth regnal year, corresponding 1173 CE – The inscription describes the One Thousand Mahajanas of  Mahagrahara Lokkigundu, an endowment of the illustrious Rama, who are stated to have been protecting the religious works in conjunction with all the residents of the place. It registers a gift of money made by Gunanidhi Kesava for the worship of the deity in the Basadi (Jain temple) of Balleya Jemmayya.  A similar gift was made to the same deity by Anikara Nagisetti.
13. On a beam of the Chandramaulishvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 125 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Rayamurari Sovideva – dated in the eighth regnal year,  corresponding 1174 CE – It commences with the prasasti of the one Thousand learned Mahajanas of Lokkigundi, which was a Mahagrahara said to have been endowed by the illustrious Rama and registers the gift of an annual income of six panas made by Bacharasa, brother of Gunanidhi Kesavadeva, to the god Asitara Kesavaditya, for burning a perpetual lamp. Another gift to the same deity by Mendeya Kereyanayaka is also recorded.
14. On a slab built into the wall of Virabhadra temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 135 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Samkama – dated Saka 1100, corresponding 1178 CE – It records gift of income from sales made by the One Hundred representatives of Maleyageri headed by Rudradeva, Kesavayya and others, to the gods Abhinavaprasanna-Kesavadeva and Samkaradeva at Lokkigundi.  The earlier portion gives the genealogical account of the Kalachuris and praises Aichisetti who was responsible for the installation of the deity of Kesavadeva at Lokkugundi which was a renowned agrahara.
15. On a pillar in the Chandramaulisvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 137 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Samkama – dated in the fifth regnal year, corresponding 1180 CE – It registers a gift of money to the god Asitara Kesavaditya.
16. On two beams in the Chandramaulishvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 60 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated in his third regnal year, corresponding 1184 CE – It records a gift of money made by Basavarasa Siddhayya for the benefit of the god Asitara Kesavaditya.  Basavarasa Siddhayya was the son-in-law of Dhannugi Dandanatha and is described as the dear son of the one thousand Mahajanas of Lokkigundi and Talabhogada-kenikara,   Lokkigundi is mentioned as a great agrahara created by Sri Rama.  A large number of gifts made to the same temple by several persons are also recorded.
17. On a slab built into a platform of Kashi-Vishvanatha temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 61 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated in his third regnal year, corresponding 1184 CE – It records a gift of money out of the income from minting transactions made by Achisetti in the presence of the One Thousand for worship and offering to the god Mallikarjuna, located in the temple of Madhusudana.  Anikara Mahadevasetti also made a similar gift.
18. On a beam in the Chandramaulishvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 62 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated in his third regnal year, corresponding 1184 CE – It records a gift of gold out of the income from his smithy made in the presence of the One-Thousand by Ayachi-setti, a devotee of the god Prasanna-Kesava, at the exhortation of Gunanidhi Kesavadeva, for worship and offerings to the god Asitara Kesavaditya.  A few more gifts to the same temple are also recorded.
19. On a slab built into the wall of the Virabhadra temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 63 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated saka 1106, corresponding 1184-85 CE – This is engraved below no 135 and it is treated here as a separate record.  It records gifts including one of money to the god Prasanna-Kesava.  The inscription is damaged.
20. On a slab built into the roof of the Ganesha shrine near the Girl’s School – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 67 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated in fourth regnal year, corresponding 1185 CE – The inscription has two dates of the same year. On the first date are registered, amount others, gifts made for the worship of the god in the Nompiya Basadi, and for burning a lamp before the deity Kammatesvara at Lokkigundi.  On the second date are recorded a series of donations made for the worship of the deity Santinatha in Kammata-jinalaya by several members of the artisan community of the same place.  The gifts were made in the presence of the One Thousand Mahajanas, all the Goles and Go-Brahmanas of Lokkigundi which is said to be an agrahara created by Sri-Rama.
21. On a beam in the Nannesvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 70 – refers to the reign of the Western Chalukya king Somesvara IV – dated saka 1108, corresponding 1186 CE – It records a gift of five panas out of the income from minting operations, made by the Anikara Sankara Setti, son of Bandiya Basavisetti, for worship in the temple of Nannesvara.
22. On the doorway leading to the well called Siddhara-bhavi – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 209 – refers to the reign of the Hoysala king Vira-Ballala II – dated in his third regnal year, corresponding 1195 CE – It records a gift of twelve gayanas to be collected annually from the contact amount (keni) for maintaining a charitable pigotta at Nagarabavi by Kesava, son of Vishnubhatta and Adakeyara Kesavadeva with the permission of the One-Thousand.
23. On the pedestal of the image of Neminatha in the Jain basti – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 556 – 12th century CE – It states that the image was the gift of Samkhadeva of Mula-samgha and Devagana.
24. On the slab in the vacant site opposite to Nagaresvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 557 – 12th century CE – It states that the inscription is set up to indicate the boundary of the site of the lana-sala, made over to the teacher, Tripbhuvanatilaka-Santinatha of Vasudhaika-Bandhava-Jinalaya, by the One Thousand.
25. On the slab in the vacant site opposite to Nagaresvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 558 – 12th century CE – It records a gift of two shops to the god Nannesvara by the One Thousand.
26. On a beam of the Chandramaulishvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 559 – 12th century CE – It records a gift of betel nuts to a god on the occasion of Dipavali by Kenikara Echisetti, described as the son of the One Thousand of Lokkigundi which is said to have been an agrahara gifted by Rama.
27. On a pillar in the Manikyesvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 560 – 12th century CE – It refers to the bhoga-mandapa constructed on a well by the teacher Kriyasakti-pandita and mentions Baddiyara Basavisetti.
28. On the base of pillar in the Nannesvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 561 – 12th century CE – It seems to record the setting up of a pillar for a deity by a lady.  The epigraph is worn out and the details are lost.
29. On a slab built into the platform of Kashi-Vishvanatha temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XV, no 167 – refers to the reign of the Kalachuri king Singhana – dated in the 24th regnal year, corresponding 1223 CE – It registers the gift of income from sales made by the local merchants to the god Madhusudana of Lokkigundi.  The inscriptions is partly damaged.
30. Pedestal of a broken Jaina image in the Nagaresvara temple – South Indian Inscriptions vol XVIII, no 401 – This record, which belong to the 13th century CE states that Rajavve, daughter of Jemisetti, installed (the image of) Kalpa-Jinendra.  Jemisetti is stated to be the disciple of Traividya-Narendrasena.