inscription of Mangalesha at Badami

The four important Chalukyan period inscriptions found at Badami are:
1. Pulakeshi Shasana,
2. Pallava Shasana,
3. Kappe Arabhatta Shasana and
4. Mangalesha Shasana.
While the first three are situated at different locations in the North fort, the fourth inscription i.e. Mangalesha Shasana is on the rock face besides rock-cut cave temple number 3. Just above the four-line inscription is a separate inscription which seems to be the name of an individual. It could be one of the scribes or sculptors who worked here.

Mangalesha was one of the well known kings of Chalukyan empire, he was a son of  Pulakeshi I. This relationship is mentioned in the pillar inscription at Mahakoota. This four-line inscription at Badami is about the grant from the income of a village named Lannjigesara. Below is the transcription as given in the booklet on Badami published by The Department of Archaeology, Museums & Heritage:

svasti srimat prithivivallabha mamgalēsanā
kalmanege ittōdu lamjigēsaram dēvarkke puniruva
malakarargge ardha-visadi ittōdān-alivõn
pancha-mahāpātakan-akum ēlaneyā narakadā pulu akkum

The grant was given to to the garland makers supplying flowers to MahaVishnu shrine i.e. the rock-cut shrine known as Badami Cave III. The inscription also issues a warning to those attempting to scuttle this grant.

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Kappe Arabhatta Shasana, Badami

Dec 17, 2011. The entire morning was dedicated to seeing a natural wonder called Sidlapadi. I'd waited almost a year to see the naturally formed sandstone arch on Hiregudda, and the wait ended that morning. Thanks to my hosts' Ranganath Juttannavar and Dhariappa Dharegonnanavar's hospitality. Due to a prior engagement, Ranganath couldn't join us, Dhariappa and I had done the 4 km + 4 km trek on the deserted hill. We spent about an hour at Sidlapadi and also explored the immediate surroundings checking out caverns and smaller rock shelters, all the while on our toes expecting some wild creature to leap out from them. No such thing happened, we returned safely. Back at Badami, Dhariappa went straight to his college where he worked as a lecturer. That afternoon I caught up with Ranganath, and we did a small tour of the northern hill checking out inscriptions, all dating back to Chalukyan times. After the visit I did not follow up on the inscriptions and memories about them faded. After more than a decade I yearned to see Kappe Arabhata inscription again.

Aug 29, 2023. My friend Srinu from Hyderabad had come to Dharwad to spend a few days with us. I suggested a two-day tour of the Chalukyan realm. We reached Badami around 9 am, first we saw the rock-cut cave shrines and then drove to the northern fort side. We parked Srinu's car near Bhootanath complex and checked out the complex in detail. From the parking lot, Kappe Arabhatta inscription was just a couple of minutes walk. The inscription is situated on a rock face to the left of Badami-Mahakoota trail - a trail which has been used since the Chalukyan times or even earlier. Below is a picture of the place. The staircase, I guess is a recent creation. The inscription is on the left hand side under the overhang. In ancient times, caretakers were appointed for important inscriptions. The caretaker duty included reading out the message to people.

Kappe Arabhatta inscription which consist of text and a drawing. There are ten lines of text and a drawing of a wheel with ten petals. The wheel is ochre colored, looks like a natural paint made using certain minerals, blood and juice from crushed leaves. I believe this paint is ancient, probably applied soon after the text were inscribed.

A closer look at the text. Since I cannot red ancient text, I had to refer a few sources- booklet on Badami my the Dept of Archaeology. Museums & Heritage; and Wikipedia -to learn its meaning. As per historians, Kappe Arabhatta was a heroic figure from Chalukyan times, probably a great warrior. This inscription is dedicated to him, outlining his personality briefly. The inscription's transliteration and translation are given below.

Transliteration:
Kappe-arabhattan sishtajana-priyan
kashtajana-varjitan Kaliyuga-viparitan ||
Varan-tējasvinō mṛittyur-na-tu mānāvakhandanam
mrittyus-tatkshanikō duḥkham-manabhangan-dinē dine ||
Sadhuge sadhu mädhuryyange madhuryyan badhippa
kalige Kaliyuga-viparitan-Madhavanitan-peranallan ||
Ollitta keyvōrār-ppolladum-adarante ballittu kalige
viparita purakritamilli sandhikkum-adu bandum ||
kattida simghaman-kettoden-emagendu bittavol-kalige vi-
paritamg-ahitarkkal-kettar-men-sattar-avichāram ||

Literal translation:
Kappe Arabhata, beloved of the good people
avoided by evil people, an exceptional man in Kaliyuga
To the good people, good, to the sweet, sweetness; | causing distress
to the kali age, an exceptional man in Kaliyuga, | Madhava (or Vishnu), this man another is not ||
What is good those who do who the evil like that | strong
exception to (or opposite) the ancient karma | here samdhikkum it having come ||
Bound the lion harmful thing what | in the same way as releasing 
exception to or opposite the enemies | were ruined and died without foresight (or without doubt) ||

I think the literal translation is good enough and I'll not attempt adding anything more.

Apart from Kappe Arabhatta inscription, there are two more inscriptions in the vicinity. One is on the rock face right besides the museum. The inscription is sheltered by a half Mantapa. The other inscription- inscription of Pulakeshi I -is situated higher up in the rocks, it can be reached by climbing up three or four staircases. I hope to see that during another visit to Badami.

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Basavana Gudi and Kannada Shilashasana at Nidgal Betta

December 29, 2014
Nidgal Betta was found while scanning Pavagada area. From Google terrain I could estimate the height as 200 meters. Nidgal Betta is a stepped hill; roughly half way up is the step- a small plateau with ruins of a fort. Climbing Nidgal Betta's steep face was a tough task! The second bit was particularly difficult climb because of the slippery surface and few hand holds. My guides Thippesh, Nagesh and Naveen, teenage boys climbed effortlessly while I was gasping for breath and sweat dripping down my head and neck. At times its uncomfortable with the camera bag dangling from the shoulder. The struggle finally came to an end as soon as this shrine was in sight :) This little temple is dedicated to Basavanna aka Nandi, Lord Shiva's mount.

Its a small, beautiful  statue of a seated Basavanna. Its a sweet little calf. This statue is definitely ancient, probably 600 to 800 years old.

As you see.. there are two inscriptions. The grey tablet leaning on the wall. The second inscription is on the rock itself. There's a third inscription, also on the rock.

All inscriptions are in Kannada. The rock inscriptions must be the earlier ones while the tablet inscription seems recent.

The third inscription is on this boulder. You can see a rectangular outline, within it is the inscription.

The floral art on the tablet seems like Hoysala. Is it an age old custom to have Shivalinga, Sun and Moon accompany inscriptions?

These dressed blocks hint at a plan to build a temple here, for some reason the plan was abandoned. Today these blocks serve as steps to Basavana Gudi.

Right next to Basavanna temple is this rock, a small lamp pillar stand on it. My guides told every year a fair is held on this hill, that's when the lamp is lit up. Looking towards west.. Nidgal Betta is one of the many hills in this area, probably is the tallest.

And on the east is plain land. If not for this railing I might not have gone around the temple.

My guides spoke a mix of Kannada and Telugu. Naveen barely spoke Kannada.

Nagesh, Thippesh and Naveen

Behind the temple is a sheer cliff. and these rock formations, they are part of Nidgal Betta. The standing rock is amazing. It looks as though the round boulder was placed there by some one.

Looking towards north from the temple. These twin rocks look like a pair or bullock heads.

We climbed down from the temple and stood close to edge of a rock.. the fort comes into view. This is the upper level of the fort. Ruins can be found on the lower levels too right until the base.

Do watch this video; I go around the the temple and then climb down to the neighbouring rock.

On the way up our guides take a taken a short break by clambering up to the ridge.

Nidgal Betta is a beautiful place. At the base of the hill is Nidgal a historic village. There are three other ancient temples; Narasimhaswami temple, Rama temple and I can't recall the third one. Close to Rama temple is a an Kalyani. Going by the looks of the temples and fort ruins, I think they were constructed during Hoysala and Vijayanagara rule. Even Chalukyas might have left their signature at Nidgal.

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Arshibidu temples

I heard about Arshibidu temples from Ranganath Juttannavar, a friend from Ramdurg/Badami. I was told it is near Gurdur but the exact location was not known. Ranganth knew about Arshibidu from his colleague Shri. S H Narennavar, a history lecturer who has been researching the history of these temples. His research includes the study of the Kannada inscription found in one of the temples.

November 24, 2012
After Dammur fort was Arshibidu, the last place on our itinerary. We stopped for tea at Gudur. Folks at  tea shop gave us directions to Arshibidu- its approximately 4 kms from Gudur on Gudur-Hanamasagar road. We were expecting to see a village instead it was just two houses belonging to the same family. The temples are about 200 meters from the main road, located right besides a dirt track winding into the hills beyond.

It was almost sunset time when we found the temples.

Looks like it was built during Badami Chalukyan rule.

The temple is vandalized. Treasure hunters have systematically dug every square-foot of the the floor. We did not find any deity in the Garbhagudi.

It's a small temple, seems incomplete.

That's the tablet with inscription, lying just outside the temple. The top left corner is broken. We tried to locate the broken bit but it was not in the vicinity.

Malatesh clears off few plants around the tablet.

With light fading fast, we decided to head to the other temple, diagonally across the road. A fiercely barking dog blocked our path few minutes, until we pretended to pick up stones. It was a shepherd's dog. We told him we are here just to see the temples...

This temple is slightly larger in plan.

Also it seemed to be in a more advanced stage of construction.

This is the Sabha Mantapa.

Sukhanasi around the Sabha Manatapa. Perhaps this temple was a residence for some years.. that grinding pit in the slab is an evidence.

Columns are simple, no elaborate decoration. One of the slabs forming the Sukhanasi has a rectangular through hole. I guess that was made to tether a cow or a horse, probably made by the same person who created the grinding pit. See inset for a closer look at the hole.

While we were busy shooting a person had joined us. So he was the person from the houses on the main road... he looks like a family head. Malatesh mentioned that dog must have called his owner.. look some strangers have come in our territory, check out what they are up to. The man pointed out towards a fairly flat surface besides the first temple and told us that place had houses long time back. He said he can show a few stones with grinding pits. As we walked towards the area Malatesh found pieces of earthenware embedded in the soil. We agreed this was a settlement many years ago. Soil erosion has exposed these bits of pottery.

Our host could locate one grinding stone. He wanted to show us another one but his search efforts went in vain. Anyway, this surely is an evidence of a settlement here.

A short video-

It was dusk now, time to leave, we still had to reach Dharwad and Marewaad. We thanked our host and said bye. I think we mentioned Narennavar's on going research to our host, I'm not too sure. We could have taken Hanamasagar route back to Dharwad but Ravi insisted we take Banashankari-Ron-Dharwad route because of less traffic. We stopped at Banashankari where Malatesh and Ravi went to the temple for a quick darshan. We bought some bajji and soda, and headed back towards Dharwad.

February 13, 2013
I spoke to Mr.Narennavar over phone and got to know how the name Arshibidu came into being. These temples were built by King Adivikramaditya of Kalyana Chalukya dynasty. During his reign Arshibidu was a vice-capital known by the name Vikramapura. Adivikramaditya's sister Akkadevi was in charge of Vikramapura's administration. In Kannada language a male ruler is known as Arasa and a female ruler is called Arasi. Since kingdom was ruled by a woman Vikramapura came to be known as Arasi Beedu which changed to Arasi Beedi and now it is Arsibidu. I plan to visit Badami again to meet Narennavar  and find out more about Arshibidu inscription.

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