26th January 2019.
It was
decided to see one of the oldest Bahubali statue on a small hill at Aretipura.
We did not know till we reach the hill, there was a excavation site on a small
hill before Bahubali Hill. A warning board cautions us at the middle of the
rocky hill. The details of this site is given below.
Aratipura, the ancient Tippuru was a popular
Jaina center during the reign of Gangas and Hoysalas. The site is located east
of the village has two outcrops locally known as Shravanabetta (Doddabetta) and
Kanakagiri (Chikkabetta).
The site was first occupied by the Gangas as
the earliest records shows. The natural depression of the rocky slope was taken
advantage of a deep 'U' shaped trough. The opening in its southern side was
closed with a stone masonry wall to retain the rain water with a brick
revetment for almost 2m from the outer. Thus a tank was formed to serve the
ritual needs of the Jainas. The natural cavern with two inscriptions were used
as a cut - in bed located at the central apse of the pond. On the above the
rock, 14 Tirthankaras were carved in low relief without any order. In this,
only five are finished and remaining are incomplete. On the back side of the
same rock, a rectangular unfinished cave was noticed. On the border of the pond
ie. On the top, ground plans of four temples, most probably on the cardinal
directions were noticed. Apart from the above, loose sculptures - ie. inscribed
and architectural members scattered around the site were also noticed. Further
top, a temple mound was noticed with half buried. pillars and sculptures which
were presently exposed. As one gets top and near the huge Hoysala inscription,
the scientific clearance work has revealed 12 temples and 3 secular structures.
The earliest epigraphical reference to the
village is found in the Malohalli (Bangalore) plates of Avinita of 559 CE. The
Ganjam (Srirangapatna) charts (799 - 800 CE) of the time of Prince Marasimha
Ereyappa, son of Sivamara II, invocate jitam Bhagavata, proclaiming the faith of the ruling king and records the gift of the village “Tippuru”
as a brahmadeya to Ponnadi, the chief of Arppole. Another inscribed record in
the Saka 838 (916 - 917 CE) of the time of Nitimarga Permanadi refers to the
construction of a basadi on the Kanakagiri Tirtha by one Manaleyara in the
presence of the king and records the gift of all incomes of the village “Tippeyur”
to Kanakasenabhatra.
During the Hoysala period, the Jaina establishment
at this place enjoyed great patronage and recognition. A stone inscription lying
on the hillock records the grant of the village Tippuru by a general named
Gangaraja, during the time of Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana corresponding to 25th
December 1117 CE, to a Jaina teacher, Meghachandra Siddhantadeva of Mulasagha,
Kanurgana and Tintrinika gachchha. The gradual development of Jainism from a
simple cavern to magnificent structures can be noticed at Aratipura.
Bas-reliefs depicting the jaina
Tirthankaras on the vertical face of the rock and remains of brick structures on
the summit of a small of small granitic hillock called Kanakagiri are some of
the important Jaina vestiges available at this site.
The scientific clearance work has also revealed
the sculptures of Adinatha, Bahubali, Saraswati, decorated pillars with
Tirthankaras and Chowri bearers. The material vestiges in the form of glass and
shell bangle pieces, terracotta beads and lamps, stucco heads, iron clamps and
chisels, copper pot, stone objects and ceramics were also noticed.
Aratipura was first explored by Dr. T. K.
Sharma, former director of the ASI and his team in 1980's. In 1987, both
Shravanabetta and Kanakagiri (Chikkabetta) covering an area of around 251 acres were declared as
Centrally Protected Monument of National Importance from the DRS of AMASR Act
1958, now under the jurisdiction of Bangalore Circle of the Archaeological
Survey of India.
LOCATION:CLICK HERE
BAHUBALI SCULPTURE ON SRAVANABETTA
Though not extensive, this, in the heart of
Gangavadi, was very impressive with both rock cut and structural edifices
located on both the hillocks while the Sravanabetta reveals a free standing 2.2m
Bahubali sculpture. Geographically and archaeologically, Aratipura was very
much identical with that of Shravanabelagola - the famous Jaina site in Hassan
District, Karnataka.
LOCATION:CLICK HERE
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
