Dimensions of Bābānagara Inscription
Summary
The article by Prof. Hampa Nagarajaiah analyses a 71‑line epigraph found at Bābānagara (Kannadige), a village west of Bijāpura, Karnataka. The inscription, dated to 1160–1168 CE, records three separate donations to Jaina temples and was written in Kannada. It opens with a Sanskrit benediction and then eulogises King Bijjanadevarasa II (1130–1167) of the Kalachuri dynasty, praising his prowess and his devotion to the Jaina order. The text mentions his brother Māilugi Kṣoṇiśa (c. 1167) and other family members and Jaina preceptors who were patrons of the temples. One section describes how the king’s devotee Ravideva established a shrine to the Tīrthaṅkara Candraprabha; another notes that the nobleman Cāvunarāya installed a manastambha or pride pillar, a tall pillar that symbolically connects the three worlds. The inscription also records that on the Aṣṭānhika festival day in 1160 CE, King Bijjana purified himself with perfumed Jina‑gandhodaka (sacred water) and granted 24 mattar (units) of land to maintain the temple. The article examines the historical and religious significance of this record. It highlights how the epigraph documents the Kalachuri rulers’ patronage of Jainism, the role of monks like Māṇikya Bhaṭṭāraka and Mallinātha (the composer), and the socioreligious context of temple construction and land grants. By translating and interpreting the inscription, the author reconstructs aspects of 12th‑century Deccan history, such as the relationship between kings and religious establishments, the role of donors, and the spread of Jainism in Karnataka. The study also shows how inscriptions link genealogical details with ritual observances, offering insights into both political history and religious practices. Overall, the article demonstrates the importance of epigraphy for understanding medieval Jain history and emphasises that this particular inscription is unparalleled in the information it provides about the Kalachuri dynasty’s devotion and the wider religious landscape of the period.
Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.
Conclusion
This study underscores how a single inscription can illuminate the cultural and political landscape of 12th‑century Karnataka. By highlighting the Kalachuri dynasty’s donations to Jain temples, the article demonstrates that medieval rulers integrated religious patronage with political legitimacy. The record also preserves the names of monks and donors, reminding us that communal support was vital for temple maintenance and ritual practice. Such epigraphic evidence enriches our understanding of Jain history and shows the value of meticulous inscriptional study.