Imprints of Buddhism in Karnatala
Summary
Dr. Hampa Nagarajaiah surveys archaeological evidence and historical records to reveal the enduring imprint of Buddhism in Karnataka (Karnāṭaka). He notes that Buddhism reached the region before Emperor Aśoka and flourished between the 3rd century BCE and 3rd century CE. Recent discoveries of an Aśokan inscription at Maski in Raichur district and extensive excavations at Sannati have yielded eighty‑one inscriptions, two stupas, three mounds and a fort, highlighting the historical significance of northern Karnataka. Nagarajaiah traces the diffusion of Buddhism through successive dynasties. Under the Mauryas and Satavāhanas, the region hosted monastic complexes; Aśoka’s edicts have been found in Bellary, Raichur and Chitradurga districts, and at Sannati and Banavasi there are remains of stupas and relic caskets. The Kadamba dynasty, whose capital was Banavasi, tolerated Buddhism; excavations uncovered an apsidal brick stupa there. The Chinese pilgrim Xuánzàng (Hiuen Tsang) visited Banavasi in the 7th century and described a great saṅghārāma with 300 monks and a 100‑foot vihāra. Nagarajaiah also discusses rock‑cut shrines and chaityas in early Chalukyan centres such as Aihole; the 5th‑century Buddhist chaitya there, carved on a hillock, shows Mahāyāna influences. Sannati, on the banks of the Bhima river, preserves dozens of stupas, rock edicts and inscriptions from the 1st–3rd century CE. He cites a 1095 CE inscription from Dambal in Gadag district that records merchants building a temple of the goddess Tārā and a vihāra during the reign of Queen Lakṣmīdevī, evidence that tantric forms of Buddhism survived into the 12th century. Although Buddhism declined as Jainism and Hinduism gained prominence, these inscriptions, monuments and place‑names attest to its lasting influence on Karnataka’s art, architecture and religious vocabulary. Nagarajaiah argues that recognising these traces helps reconstruct the region’s pluralistic past and underscores the need to protect and study Buddhist remains scattered across the state.
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Conclusion
Nagarajaiah’s survey shows that Karnataka’s landscape is dotted with Buddhist imprints—from Aśokan edicts and Satavāhana‑era stupas to Banavasi’s apsidal stupa and Aihole’s 5th‑century chaitya. Xuánzàng’s account of a thriving monastery at Banavasi and a 12th‑century inscription recording a temple for the goddess Tārā illustrate how Buddhist traditions persisted alongside Jainism and Hinduism. By collating inscriptions and archaeological sites, he reveals a rich but overlooked Buddhist heritage in Karnataka and urges its preservation and scholarly study.