Kundani, a Capital City Hoysala Dynasty Under Veera Ramanathan's Rule, near Hosur near Hosur, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

A continuation Post to Krishnagiri Heritage Visit Dolmens, Cairn circles and Rock Arts at Mallachandram 

11^th March 2018.

 

"Kundani" a part of Krishnagiri District was once the headquarters of the Hoysala king 'Veera Ramanathan' who ruled the Hoysala dynasty ( 1935 to 1954 CE) in the 13th Century CE under the control of Pandyas. He was not a very popular king of the Hoysala dynasty. He was the great-grandson of  Veera Ballala-II and son of Veera  Someshwara ( 1235–63 CE ) who ruled Hoysala under Chozhas.  The power of Krishnagiri was shuffled between Chozhas and Pandyas who ever in power in Tamil Nadu. It is presumed that  Veera Someshwara, the grandson of Veera Ballala-II, and his son Veera Ramanathan ruled the Hoysala dynasty during the same period keeping their headquarters in different places near Krishnagiri. 

During his rule, Veera Ramanathan renovated the Kailasanathar temple of Tharamangalam, which was originally built by the Ketti Mudali kings. During his rule, a well-called “MARBIDIGU KINARU” at Thiruvellarai near Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli,  was reconstructed, by one  Kudanthai (Kumbakonam) vanikan (Merchant) Uyyaneri kaattinaan. An inscription at Aragalur,  Sri Kamanatheswarar Temple speaks about the donation of a Village Nattarmangalam near Salem to this temple. He was known for punishing offenders to the maximum extent. One of the inscriptions at the Panneswara Nayanar Temple at Panneswararmada, near Kaveripattinam (the Temple was built by the Kulothunga Chozha -II 1133 - 1150 CE) says that a govt official, who accepts the bribe and the officer failed to restrict was punished to death. Veera Ramanathan Died at Kundani (the Present Hosur) on 19th Dec 1295.

As a Capital of the Hoysala Dynasty Kundani might have buzzing with activities now bears a desert look. Only the ruined temples remind the glory of the Hoysala dynasty. The stones with inscriptions of the temples strewn around.  The Shiva temple is in dilapidated condition, but still under worship, which will be covered separately and Kundani Lakkamma temple was renovated keeping the base structure. New Anjaneyar and Renganathar temples were also built on the same site.  

 

A dilapidated Mandapam of Shiva temple

A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Mandapam of Vishnu temple

 A dilapidated Mandapam 

 A dilapidated Vishnu temple inscription stone 

 A dilapidated Vishnu temple 

 Vishnu in a dilapidated temple – waiting for whom? 

 Anjaneyar temple 

Ranganathar temple 

   Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Kundani Lakkamma temple  

Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero  stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero / sati stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

  Hero stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

 Hero / sati stone in front of Kundani Lakkamma temple  

sati stone at Kundani Lakkamma Temple 

 Hero / sati stones dumped 

Hero / sati stones dumped 

 The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

 The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

  The remains of the ruined Temples  and mandapams

 Sambal medu once occupied during the megalithic period

      Iron slag and the spout for pouring molten metal The evidence of human settlement 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

... to be continued Shiva temple at Kundani, the ruined Capital of the Hoysala Dynasty.