The visit to these Rajas Tombs, at Madikeri, in Kodagu
District, Karnataka, was a part of “Kodagu Heritage Walk”, from 22nd
to 24th May 2026, organised by “எண்திசை வரலாற்று மரபுநடைக்குழு”.
Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, these monuments with domes and minarets hold the mortal
remains of Kodava royalty and court dignitaries. The central tomb is of
Doddaveerarajendra and his queen. To the right is the tomb of Lingarajendra,
built by his son Chikkaveerarajendra in 1820 CE. To the left is the tomb of the
royal priest Rudrappa, built in 1834 CE. Nearby are buried two royal officials,
Biddanda Bopu, who died fighting Tipu Sultan, and his son Biddanda Somaiah.
The kings and nobles of
Kodagu were worshippers of Shiva. Hence, their tombs are watched over by his
vhis vehicle, the bull (Bos taurus) Nandi. This signifies the importance of the bull
in our tradition.
GOVT OF KARNATAKA
DIRECTOR, DIRECTORATE
OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND MUSEUMS IN KARNATAKA, MYSORE
SRI VEERARAJENDRA AND
SRI LINGARAJENDRA TOMBS. (GADDIGE'S)
The Tombs of Rajas are
located in the high embankments of the Madekeri belonging to the Rajas of
Coorg, who ruled in the 18th century. King Lingarajendra had the tomb of
his brother Virarajendra, which was begun in his lifetime. Viraraja's and
his wife's remains are interred there. Virarajendra is deified, and his Samadhis are worshipped even to this day. In the same plain to the right of Viraraja's tombs, Langarajendra's tomb was built by his son, Viraraja the younger, in 1820. There are
also other tombs, like the tombs of the Raja's Priest Rudrappa, built by Dewan
Chepadira Ponnappa in 1834 and/or Bidhandra Bopa and his son Somayya, the Sarva
Karyagaras (The Chief Commandant of the Army) of Doddaviraraja and Chikkaviraraja
respectively. There is a Kannada inscription on Bopu's tomb, inscribed by the
orders of Doddavirarajendra, paying tribute to his service to the Raja, in the latter's war against Tippusultan and in his hunting expeditions.
Director
ARCHITECTURE
These square tombs are
in the Indo-Saracenic style. A flight of eight steps leads to the open platform, which encloses the tombs and measures about 250 square feet. Inside the
structure around the central chamber, there is a covered corridor. On both sides
of the main entrance of the structure, low-relief sculptures of Siva with four
hands are found. The graves are situated in the central chamber. It has
entrances in the east, north and south. At the corners of the tomb’s minarets, with
a two-tier square base, circular body and gilded kalashas are there. At the
bottom is a Nandi/ Rishabam sculpture. At the centre on top is a big dome
resting on a lotus capital, and it has a huge gilded kalasha at the top. The
doorframes have extensive floral decorations, and a lion's face is seen at the top
doorjamb.
The structure has many
windows, and one of the frames on the southern wall has a wrestling motif,
Deities, Thumburu, Sukar Muni, Rishaba Kunjaram, Door guardians, Vyagrapada,
Patanjali, Vinayagar, Murugan, the feeding of its calf, warriors on Horses,
Elephant with ambari, etc.
The story of Kiratharjuna (Shiva as Hunter fights with Arjuna)
LOCATION OF THE RAJAS
TOMBS: CLICK HERE
Graves
Graves
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
