Kalya (Kalavathi pattana) or Kalya is a historic settlement located in
Magadi Taluk, Ramanagara district of
Karnataka,
India. Kalya as an early settlement can be attested by prehistoric rock art and tools reported from Kalya and inscriptional evidence in the village starting from 550 CE to the early 17th century CE, making it one of the few places in the country that has been continuously inhabited for 3000 to 3500 years.[1][2]
Kalya has been variously documented as Kalleha, Kalyaha and Kalleha Pattana in the inscriptions, this village houses more than 28 documented inscriptions, three tiger-hunting
hero stones, four Veera
Masti stones,
Nisidhi stones, a lingamudra stone, Kalleshwara temple, tomb of the famous 12th-century Telugu poet
Palkuriki Somanatha, a
Veerashaiva Jangam Mutt,
Manasthamba, and icons of Buddhist,
Jaina,
Vaishnava, and
Shaiva sects Alongside these historical remnants, Prehistoric
rock art and
tools have also been reported from Kalya, indicating that this village has been inhabited for approximately 3500–4000 years.[3][4] The Kalleshwara temple is a cave temple located atop a small hillock in the village is particularly of religious significance as many inscriptions have been found documenting the donations made to the temple for the worship of the deity and the upkeep of the temple.
Kalya has also been identified with "bauddhavasapuri kalavathi pattana", literally translated as "the Kalavavhithi city where Buddhists live" as documented in a copper plate inscription of Turuvekere by Dr Chidanandamurthy.[5] The tomb of the famous 12th-century Telugu poet
Palkuriki Somanatha, the author of the first biographical work on
Basavanna, the Basava Purana, is in the village. The story of how he came about this village is mentioned in his own work and he says that enamored by the devotion of the shivasharane Sarvashile Chennamma, he came to the village to seek her blessings and decided to stay in the village upon the request of the saintess made Kalya his abode for the rest of his life.[6] The Jangama mutt has the tomb of the nun and is situated on a small hillock in the village.
The place is very well known because of a unique religious intrigue that happened at the site in the 15th century CE between the
vaishnavas and
jains, the story goes that there was a physical altercation the Vaishnavas and Jains of the region due to an issue leading to death of some jains. The conflict was taken to the court of the Vijayanagara ruler,
Bukka Raya II by a merchant of Kalya. An inscription documenting this was put up in Kalya and four other sites of Jain significance, including
Shravanabelagola and
Penukonda, the king orders the parties to stop the fight and orders the Vaishnavas of
Melukote,
Srirangam,
Tirumala to be responsible for the upkeep of the Jain temples by erecting inscriptions honoring this decree in
Jain temples throughout the kingdom and allowing the playing of the panchamahavadyas in the
jain temples.
Kalya 1368 CE Jain-Srivaishnava conflict resolution Inscription
Jain-Srivaishnava conflict resolution Inscription
Digital image obtained by 3D scanning of the Kalya 1368CE Bukkaraya Kannada Inscription
It is one of the most remarkable inscription documented in
Karnataka, it is a Kannada inscription dated to 1368 CE issued during the reign of
Bukkaraya II. It records that a dialogue (saṃvāja) between
Jains and the
Srivaishnavas escalated into a fight and the Jains had been unjustly killed by the Srivaishnavas, this conflict was taken to the court of Bukkaraya II of the Vijayanagara Kingdom by the Jains of
Anegondi,
Penukonda,
Hospattana and Kalya, this conflict was resolved by the king by ordering the
Srivaishnavas of
Tirumala, Tirunarayanapura (
Melukote) and
Srirangam to allow the rightful playing of the panchamahavadyas ( five great instruments ) in the Jain temples and that the Srivaishnavas had to issue decrees and install it in
Jain temples following the order throughout the kingdom. The inscription starts with an invocatory verse on
Ramanuja, ironically the verse praises
Ramanuja as being a great subduer of the pāsaṇḍas (
sramanas) and records the
Srivaishnavas as bhakta, the imitation of this inscription was also erected in
Shravanabelagola, it was put up after a month of being installed in Kalya. The inscription was documented and published in Volume 9, Epigraphia carnatica.[7]
Transliteration of the inscription
The text of the inscription is published in Volume 9, Epigraphia Carnatica.[7]
Kalya 14thcentury CE Mukkode Jina Shloka Inscription
It is a
Kannada inscription dated to the 14th century CE. It consists of a verse from the Pramanasangraha, an 8th-century Jain composition authored by Akalanka.[8]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in the
Kannada language and script. The inscription is 95 cm tall & 36 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 5.3 cm tall, 6.2 cm wide & 0.25 cm deep.
Transliteration of the inscription
The inscription was published in the Quaternary Journal of the Mythic society.
One translation is: "the most respectful, the most beautiful symbol of the syadvada doctrine, an inscription of the lord of the three worlds, and an inscription of the Jains."[9]
It is a
Kannada inscription dated to March 22, 1536 CE and records the donation of rituals items to the god Kalleshwara by a Singarayya.[10]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in the
Kannada language and script. The inscription is 102 cm tall and 244 cm wide (inscription area), while the characters are approximately 6.8 cm tall, 5.2 cm wide, and 0.3 cm deep.
Transliteration of the inscription
The transliteration is published in the Quaternary Journal of Mythic Society.
It is a
Kannada inscription dated to 1540 CE paleographically. It records land grants to the god Kalleshwara by a Singaraja, it indicates the area of land donated and other particulars. Interestingly, interestingly it records the land as being donated on the orders of the deity Kalleshwara himself instead of the local ruler or king, indicating the people's recognition of the god Kalleshwara as a legitimate authority over the land. Many Indian kings and kingdoms were ruled under the name of the god, rulers positing themselves as the true representatives of such a god, the
Travancore kingdom,
Kashi were some places that were ruled under this norm. It was discovered by the Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project team.[11]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription stone measures 91 cm tall & 301 cm wide , while the characters are approximately 8.1 cm tall, 9.3 cm wide & 0.4 cm deep.
ಹಳೆಯಾ ಉರು ಕುಪ್ಪಯ ಹೊಲ ಖ೧ ಘದೆ ಕೆಱೆಯ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಕ ೧ ಅರೋಭರು ಅಳುಪ ಸಲ್ಲದು ಕಲಿಸ್ವರ ದೇ
halĕyā uru kuppaya ̤ hŏla kha1 ghadĕ kĕṟĕya kĕlagĕ ka ̤ 1 arobharu alupa ̤ salladu kalisvara de
3
ವರ ನಿರುಪದಿಂ ಸಿಂಗರಾಜಗಳು ದನಾ ದರಪೂರ್ವ
vara nirupadiṃ siṃgarājagalu danā ̤ darapūrva
4
ಕವಾಗಿ ಖೊಟೆಉ ಚಾವಡಿವೀರೆಗೌಡನ
kavāgi khŏṭĕu cāvaḍivīrĕgauḍana
5
ಬರಹ ಯೀ ಗ್ರಾಮಕ್ಕೆ ಅಳುಪಿದವರು ವರಾಣಸಿಯಲ
baraha yī grāmakkĕ alupidavaru ̤ varāṇasiyali
6
ಗೋವ ಕೊಂ
gova kŏṃ
7
ದ ಪಾಪಕ್ಕೆ
da pāpakkĕ
8
ಹೋಹರು
hoharu
The Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 1549 CE Immadi Inscription
This incomplete Kannada inscription is dated to 1549CE, with the content available, it possibly pertains to a grant by a king, the mention of the word "immadi" in other inscriptions including this, indicates that this was a donation by Immadi Kempegowda of the Yelahanka Naadaprabhu dynasty under the Karnataka (Vijayanagara) empire. It was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project team.[12]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script and is dated to the 1549CE. The inscription stone measures 82 cm tall by 112 cm wide, while the characters themselves are approximately 11.1 cm tall, 7.2 cm wide & 0.3 cm deep.
Transliteration of the inscription
Kannada
IAST
1
೦ ಕೀಲಕ ಸಂವಶ್ಚರದ
0 kīlaka saṃvaścarada
2
೦ ಪುಷ್ಯ ಶುದ್ಧ೧ಲೂ ಶ್ರೀ
0 puṣya śuddha1lū śrī
3
೦ ಮತು ಯಿಂಮಡಿ
0 matu yiṃmaḍi
4
೦ . . . . . . . . .
0 . . . . . . . . .
5
೦ . .ಶ . . . .
0 . .śa . . . .
6
೦ . . . . . . . . . .
0 . . . . . . . . . .
The Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 17th century Mahabhaktha Inscription
It is an incomplete Kannada inscription dated paleographically to the 17th century CE, it records a great devotee (mahabhakta) of the god Kalleshwara, his name possibly starts with "Talada". The Inscription was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscription 3D Digital Conservation Project team.[13]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in both Kannada language and script and is dated to the 17th Century. The inscription stone measures 36 cm tall by 144 cm wide (on the steps leading to Kalleshwara Temple), while the characters themselves are approximately 8.9 cm tall, 3.8 cm wide & 0.4 cm deep
Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th century CE Mandala Inscription
It is a very worn-out
Kannada inscription, the legible text indicates a grant to the siddas of God (Kalleshwara). A tantric mandala symbol is beside the inscription.[14] The Inscription was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscription 3D Digital Conservation Project team.
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription stone is 103 cm tall & 186 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 6.8 cm tall, 5.3 cm wide & 0.3 cm deep.
Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th century CE Ballabatta Boulder Inscription
It is a
Kannada inscription dated to 18-July-1531 (Julian). Much of the text is effaced, the legible text indicates a possible land grant by a ballalbatta the god (Kalleshwara).[9]
Physical characteristics
The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription is 57 cm tall & 117 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 6.6 cm tall, 8.2 cm wide & 0.6 cm deep.