# Kalya inscriptions and hero stones

Kalya is a historic settlement located in Magadi Taluk, Bengaluru South district of Karnataka, India. Kalya as an early settlement can be attested by prehistoric rock art and tools reported from Kalya and inscriptional evidence in the village starting from 550 CE to the early 17th century CE, making it one of the few places in the country that has been continuously inhabited for 3000 to 3500 years.
Kalya has been variously documented as Kalleha, Kalyaha and Kalleha Pattana in the inscriptions, this village houses more than 28 documented inscriptions, three tiger-hunting hero stones, four Veera Masti stones, Nisidhi stones, a lingamudra stone, Kalleshwara temple, tomb of the famous 12th-century poet Palkuriki Somanatha, a Veerashaiva Jangam Mutt, Manasthamba, and icons of Buddhist, Jaina, Vaishnava, and Shaiva sects Alongside these historical remnants, Prehistoric rock art and tools have also been reported from Kalya, indicating that this village has been inhabited for approximately 3500–4000 years. The Kalleshwara temple is a cave temple located atop a small hillock in the village is particularly of religious significance as many inscriptions have been found documenting the donations made to the temple for the worship of the deity and the upkeep of the temple.
Kalya has also been identified with "bauddhavasapuri kalleha pattana", literally translated as "the Kalavavhithi city where Buddhists live" as documented in a copper plate inscription of Turuvekere by Dr Chidanandamurthy. The tomb of the famous 12th-century poet Palkuriki Somanatha, the author of the first biographical work on Basavanna, the Basava Purana, is in the village. The story of how he came about this village is mentioned in his own work and he says that enamored by the devotion of the shivasharane Sarvashile Chennamma, he came to the village to seek her blessings and decided to stay in the village upon the request of the saintess made Kalya his abode for the rest of his life. The Jangama mutt has the tomb of the nun and is situated on a small hillock in the village.
The place is very well known because of a unique religious intrigue that happened at the site in the 15th century CE between the vaishnavas and jains, the story goes that there was a physical altercation the Vaishnavas and Jains of the region due to an issue leading to death of some jains. The conflict was taken to the court of the Vijayanagara ruler, Bukka Raya II by a merchant of Kalya. An inscription documenting this was put up in Kalya and four other sites of Jain significance, including Shravanabelagola and Penukonda, the king orders the parties to stop the fight and orders the Vaishnavas of Melukote, Srirangam, Tirumala to be responsible for the upkeep of the Jain temples by erecting inscriptions honoring this decree in Jain temples throughout the kingdom and allowing the playing of the panchamahavadyas in the jain temples.

## Kalya 1368 CE Jain-Srivaishnava conflict resolution Inscription

It is one of the most remarkable inscription documented in Karnataka, it is a Kannada inscription dated to 1368 CE issued during the reign of Bukkaraya II. It records that a dialogue (saṃvāja) between Jains and the Srivaishnavas escalated into a fight and the Jains had been unjustly killed by the Srivaishnavas, this conflict was taken to the court of Bukkaraya II of the Vijayanagara Kingdom by the Jains of Anegondi, Penukonda, Hospattana and Kalya, this conflict was resolved by the king by ordering the Srivaishnavas of Tirumala, Tirunarayanapura (Melukote) and Srirangam to allow the rightful playing of the panchamahavadyas ( five great instruments ) in the Jain temples and that the Srivaishnavas had to issue decrees and install it in Jain temples following the order throughout the kingdom. The inscription starts with an invocatory verse on Ramanuja, ironically the verse praises Ramanuja as being a great subduer of the pāsaṇḍas (sramanas) and records the Srivaishnavas as bhakta, the imitation of this inscription was also erected in Shravanabelagola, it was put up after a month of being installed in Kalya. The inscription was documented and published in Volume 9, Epigraphia carnatica.

### Transliteration of the inscription

The text of the inscription is published in Volume 9, Epigraphia Carnatica.
| Line Number | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಪ್ರ | svasti samasta pra |
| 2 | ಶಸ್ತಿ ಸಹಿತಂ|| ಪಾಷ | śasti sahitaṃ|| pāṣa |
| 3 | ಂಡ ಸಾಗರ ಮಹಾವಡವಾ | ṃḍa sāgara mahāvaḍavā |
| 4 | ಮುಖಾಗ್ನಿ ಶ್ರೀ ರಂಗರಾ | mukhāgni śrī raṃgarā |
| 5 | ಜ ಚರಣಾಂಬುಜ ಮೂ | ja caraṇāṃbuja mū |
| 6 | ಲದಾಸಃ ಶ್ರೀವಿಷ್ಣುಲೋಕ | ladāsaḥ śrīviṣṇuloka |
| 7 | ಮಣಿ ಮಂಟಪ ಮಾರ್ಗ | maṇi maṃṭapa mārga |
| 8 | ದಾಯೀ ರಾಮಾನುಜೋ ವಿಜಯ | dāyī rāmānujo vijaya |
| 9 | ತೇ ಯತಿರಾಜ ರಾಜಃ || ಶಕ ವ | te yatirāja rājaḥ || śaka va |
| 10 | ರ್ಷ ೧೨೯೦ನೆಯ ಕೀಲಕ ಸಂ | rṣa 1290neya kīlaka saṃ |
| 11 | ವತ್ಸರದ ಶ್ರಾವಣ ಶು ೨ ಸೋ | vatsarada śrāvaṇa śu 2 so |
| 12 | ದಲು ಶ್ರೀಮನ್ ಮಹಾಮಂ | dalu śrīman mahāmaṃ |
| 13 | ಡಳೇಶ್ವರಂ ಅರಿರಾಯ ವಿಭಾ | ḍaleśvaraṃ arirāya vibhā |
| 14 | ಡ ಭಾಷೆಗೆ ತಪ್ಪುವ ರಾ | ḍa bhāṣhege tappuva rā |
| 15 | ಯರಗಂಡ ಶ್ರೀವೀರ ಬುಕ್ಕ | yaragaṃḍa śrīvīra bukka |
| 16 | ರಾಯನು ಪ್ರಿತುವಿ ರಾಜ್ಯವ | rāyanu prituvi rājyava |
| 17 | ನಾಳುವ ಕಾಲದಲಿ ಜಇನ | nāluva kāladali jaina |
| 18 | ರಿಗೆ ಭಕ್ತರಿಗೆ ಸಂವಾಜವಾದ | rige bhaktarige saṃvājavāda |
| 19 | ಲ್ಲಿ ಆನೆಯಗೊಂದಿ ಹೊಸಪ | lli āneyagoṃdi hosapa |
| 20 | ಟ್ಟಣ ಪೆನುಗುಂಡೆ ಕಳ್ಯಹ | ṭṭaṇa penuguṃḍe kalyaha |
| 21 | ವೊಳಗಾದ ಸಮಸ್ತ ನಾಡ | volagāda samasta nāḍa |
| 22 | ಜಇನರು ಬುಕ್ಕರಾಯಂಗೆ ಭ | jainaru bukkarāyaṃge bha |
| 23 | ಕ್ತರು ಅನ್ಯಾಯದಲು ಕೊಲ್ಲು | ktaru anyāyadalu kollu |
| 24 | ವದನು ಬಿಂನಹಂ ಮಾಡ | vadanu biṃnahaṃ māḍa |
| 25 | ಲಾಗಿ ಕೋವಿಲ್ | ತಿರುಮಲೆ | | lāgi kovil | tirumale | |
| 26 | ಪೆರುಮಾ ಕೋವಿಲು | ತಿರುನಾ | perumā kovilu | tirunā |
| 27 | ರಾಯಣಪುರ ಮುಖ್ಯವಾ | rāyaṇapura mukhyavā |
| 28 | ದ ಸಕಳಾಚಾರ್ಯ್ಯರು ಸ | da sakalāchāryaru sa |
| 29 | ಕಳ ಸಮಯಿಗಳು ಸಕಳ | kala samayigalu sakala |
| 30 | ಸಾತ್ವಿಕರು ಮೋಷ್ಟಿಕರು ತಿ | sātvikaru moṣṭikaru ti |
| 31 | ರುಪಣಿ ತಿರುವಿಡಿ ತಂಣಿ | rupaṇi tiruviḍi taṃṇi |
| 32 | ರವರು ನಾಲ್ವತ್ತೆಂಟು ತಲೆ | ravaru nālvatteṃṭu tale |
| 33 | ಮಕ್ಕಳು ಸಾವಂತ ಬೋವ | makkalu sāvaṃta bova |
| 34 | ಕ್ಕಳು ತಿರಿಕುಲ ಜಾಂಬವಕುಲ | kkalu tirikula jāṃbavakula |
| 35 | ವೊಳಗಾದ ಪದಿನೆಂಟು ನಾಡಾ | volagāda padineṃṭu nāḍā |
| 36 | ಶ್ರೀವಇಷ್ಣವರ ಕಯ್ಯಲು ಮಹಾ | śrīvaiṣṇavara kayyalu mahā |
| 37 | ರಾಯನು ಜಇನರು ನಿಂಮ | rāyanu jainaru niṃma |
| 38 | ವಇಷ್ಣವ ದರುಸನದ ಮಱೆ ಒ | vaiṣṇava darusanada mare o |
| 39 | ಕ್ಕೆವುವೆಂದು ಕೊಟ್ಟ ಸಂಮಂಧ | kkeveṃdu koṭṭa saṃmaṃdha |
| 40 | ಪಂಚ ಬಸ್ತಿಗಳಲಿ ಕಳಸ ಜ | paṃca bastigaḻali kaḻasa ja |
| 41 | ಗಳೆ ಜಗಟೆ ಮೊದಲಾದ ಪಂ | gale jagaṭe modalāda paṃ |
| 42 | ಚ ಮಹಾವಾದ್ಯವೂ ಸಲು | ca mahāvādyavū salu |
| 43 | ಉದು ಅನ್ಯರಿ[ಗೆ] ಬರಕೂಡದು ಇ | udu anyari[ge] barakūḍadu i |
| 44 | ಜಇನ ಸಮಯಕೆ ಸಲುವು | jaina samayake saluvu |
| 45 | ದೆಂದು ಹಾನಿವ್ರಿದ್ಧಿಯಾದ . | deṃdu hānivriddhiyāda |
| 46 | . ಶ್ರೀವಇ | . śrīvai |
| 47 | ಷ್ಣವ ಸಮಯ | ṣṇava samaya |
| 48 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| 49 | . . . ಯೀ | . . . . yi |
| 50 | ಮರ್ಯ್ಯಾದೆ | . maryyāde |
| 51 | . . . . . | . lu ellā rājya |
| 52 | ದೊಳಗುಳ | doḻaguḻḻa |
| 53 | ಬಸ್ತಿ . | basti |
| 54 | ಶ್ರೀವಇಷ್ಣವ | śrīvayiṣṇava |
| 55 | . . . . . | . . . . . |
| 56 | ನೆಟ್ಟು ಕೊಟ್ಟೆವು | neṭṭu koṭṭevu |

## Kalya 14thcentury CE Mukkode Jina Shloka Inscription

It is a Kannada inscription dated to the 14th century CE. It consists of a verse from the Pramanasangraha, an 8th-century J
ain composition authored by Akalanka.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in the Kannada language and script. The inscription is 95 cm tall & 36 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 5.3 cm tall, 6.2 cm wide & 0.25 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the inscription

The inscription was published in the Quaternary Journal of the Mythic society.
| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | ಶ್ರೀ ಮತ್ಪರಮ ಗಂಭೀ | śrī matparama gaṃbhī |
| 2 | ರಂಸ್ಯಾದ್ವಾದ | raṃsyādvādā |
| 3 | ಮೋಘ ಲಾಂಛನಂ | mogha lāṃchanaṃ |
| 4 | ಜೀಯತ್ರೈಲೋಕ ನಾ | jīyātrailoka nā |
| 5 | ತಸ್ಯ ಶಾಸನಂ ಜಿ | thasya śāsanaṃ ji |
| 6 | ನ ಶಾಸನಂ | na śāsanaṃ |

### Translation

One translation is: "the most respectful, the most beautiful symbol of the syadvada doctrine, an inscription of the lord of the three worlds, and an inscription of the Jains."

## Kalya Kalleshwara Temple, 1536 CE, Singarajayya Divige-Harivana Donation Inscription

It is a Kannada inscription dated to March 22, 1536 CE and records the donation of rituals items to the god Kalleshwara by a Singarayya.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in the Kannada language and script. The inscription is 102 cm tall and 244 cm wide (inscription area), while the characters are approximately 6.8 cm tall, 5.2 cm wide, and 0.3 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the inscription

The transliteration is published in the Quaternary Journal of Mythic Society.
| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | o ಕವ | o kava |
| 2 | ೦ ದುರ್ಮತಿ ಸಂವತ್ಸರದ ಚಯಿತ್ರ ಶು ೧ ಲು ಶ್ರೀಮತು ಕಲ್ಲೇಶ್ವರಲಿಂಗನಿಗೆ | 0 durmati saṃvatsarada cayitra śu 1 lu śrīmatu kalleśvaraliṃganigĕ |
| 3 | ೦ ಸಿಂಗರಾಜಯ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿದ ಸೇವೆ ಹರಿವಾಣ . ಕಂಚಿನ ದೀವಿಗೆ | 0 siṃgarājayya māḍida sevĕ harivāṇa . kaṃcina dīvigĕ |
| 4 | ೦ ಕಂಬಿ(ಚಿ) . . . ಕಾಣಿ . . ದೀವಿಗೆ ೨ ಅ. . . . ಬಾರ . . ೧. . . | 0 kaṃbi(ci) . . . kāṇi . . dīvigĕ 2 a. . . . bāra . . 1. . . |
| 5 | ೦ ಹೊಲ.. ಅ..ಬಿಡಿಸಿದ . . . . . . | 0 hŏla.. a..biḍisida . . . . . . |
| 6 | ೦ . . . . ನೈವೇದ್ಯಕೆ . ಖ೧ ಮೆಲು . . . . . . . . . . . . . | 0 . . . . naivedyakĕ . kha1 mĕlu . . . . . . . . . . . . . |

## Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 1540CE Singaraja's Timmaraja Donation Inscription

It is a Kannada inscription dated to 1540 CE paleographically. It records land grants to the god Kalleshwara by a Singaraja, it indicates the area of land donated and other particulars. Interestingly, interestingly it records the land as being donated on the orders of the deity Kalleshwara himself instead of the local ruler or king, indicating the people's recognition of the god Kalleshwara as a legitimate authority over the land. Many Indian kings and kingdoms were ruled under the name of the god, rulers positing themselves as the true representatives of such a god, the Travancore kingdom, Kashi were some places that were ruled under this norm. It was discovered by the Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project team.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription stone measures 91 cm tall & 301 cm wide , while the characters are approximately 8.1 cm tall, 9.3 cm wide & 0.4 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the inscription

| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | ಲಕ್ಕಪ್ಪ ಗೋಪಿನಾಥ ಅರಸರ ಮಗ ತಿಮ್ಮರಾಜನಿಗೆ ವಾಮನ ಮುದ್ರೆ ಮುಡಣ ಕಲ್ಲು | lakappa gopinātha ārāsara māga tiṃmarājarigĕ vāmana mudrĕ khalla muḍaṇa |
| 2 | ಹಳೆಯಾ ಉರು ಕುಪ್ಪಯ ಹೊಲ ಖ೧ ಘದೆ ಕೆಱೆಯ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಕ ೧ ಅರೋಭರು ಅಳುಪ ಸಲ್ಲದು ಕಲಿಸ್ವರ ದೇ | halĕyā uru kuppaya ̤ hŏla kha1 ghadĕ kĕṟĕya kĕlagĕ ka ̤ 1 arobharu alupa ̤ salladu kalisvara de |
| 3 | ವರ ನಿರುಪದಿಂ ಸಿಂಗರಾಜಗಳು ದನಾ ದರಪೂರ್ವ | vara nirupadiṃ siṃgarājagalu danā ̤ darapūrva |
| 4 | ಕವಾಗಿ ಖೊಟೆಉ ಚಾವಡಿವೀರೆಗೌಡನ | kavāgi khŏṭĕu cāvaḍivīrĕgauḍana |
| 5 | ಬರಹ ಯೀ ಗ್ರಾಮಕ್ಕೆ ಅಳುಪಿದವರು ವರಾಣಸಿಯಲ | baraha yī grāmakkĕ alupidavaru ̤ varāṇasiyali |
| 6 | ಗೋವ ಕೊಂ | gova kŏṃ |
| 7 | ದ ಪಾಪಕ್ಕೆ | da pāpakkĕ |
| 8 | ಹೋಹರು | hoharu |

## The Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 1549 CE Immadi Inscription

This incomplete Kannada inscription is dated to 1549CE, with the content available, it possibly pertains to a grant by a king, the mention of the word "immadi" in other inscriptions including this, indicates that this was a donation by Immadi Kempegowda of the Yelahanka Naadaprabhu dynasty under the Karnataka (Vijayanagara) empire. It was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscriptions 3D Digital Conservation Project team.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script and is dated to the 1549CE. The inscription stone measures 82 cm tall by 112 cm wide, while the characters themselves are approximately 11.1 cm tall, 7.2 cm wide & 0.3 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the inscription

| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | ೦ ಕೀಲಕ ಸಂವಶ್ಚರದ | 0 kīlaka saṃvaścarada |
| 2 | ೦ ಪುಷ್ಯ ಶುದ್ಧ೧ಲೂ ಶ್ರೀ | 0 puṣya śuddha1lū śrī |
| 3 | ೦ ಮತು ಯಿಂಮಡಿ | 0 matu yiṃmaḍi |
| 4 | ೦ . . . . . . . . . | 0 . . . . . . . . . |
| 5 | ೦ . .ಶ . . . . | 0 . .śa . . . . |
| 6 | ೦ . . . . . . . . . . | 0 . . . . . . . . . . |

## The Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 17th century Mahabhaktha Inscription

It is an incomplete Kannada inscription dated paleographically to the 17th century CE, it records a great devotee (mahabhakta) of the god Kalleshwara, his name possibly starts with "Talada". The Inscription was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscription 3D Digital Conservation Project team.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in both Kannada language and script and is dated to the 17th Century. The inscription stone measures 36 cm tall by 144 cm wide (on the steps leading to Kalleshwara Temple), while the characters themselves are approximately 8.9 cm tall, 3.8 cm wide & 0.4 cm deep

### Transliteration of the Inscription

The inscription is a total of two lines.
| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | ಶ್ರೀಮತು ತಾಳದ . | śrīmatu tāl̤ada . |
| 2 | ಮಹ ಬಕ್ತ . . | maha bakta . . |

## Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th century CE Mandala Inscription

It is a very worn-out Kannada inscription, the legible text indicates a grant to the siddas of God (Kalleshwara). A tantric mandala symbol is beside the inscription. The Inscription was discovered by The Mythic Society Bengaluru Inscription 3D Digital Conservation Project team.

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription stone is 103 cm tall & 186 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 6.8 cm tall, 5.3 cm wide & 0.3 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the Inscription

| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | . . ರ ದೇವರ . .ಸಿದರಿಗೆ | . . ra devara. .sidarige |

## Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th century CE Ballabatta Boulder Inscription

It is a Kannada inscription dated to 18-July-1531 (Julian). Much of the text is effaced, the legible text indicates a possible land grant by a ballalbatta the god (Kalleshwara).

### Physical characteristics

The inscription is inscribed in Kannada language and script. The inscription is 57 cm tall & 117 cm wide, while the characters are approximately 6.6 cm tall, 8.2 cm wide & 0.6 cm deep.

### Transliteration of the Inscription

| | Kannada | IAST |
| 1 | o ಖರ ಸಂವತ್ಸರದ ಆಶಡ | 0 khara saṃvatsarada āśaḍa |
| 2 | o ಸುದ ೫ಲ್ಲು ಬಲ್ಲಬಟ್ಟ | 0 suda 5llu ballabaṭṭa |
| 3 | o ಯ ದೇವರಿಗೆ ಚುಡಪ ಗ | 0 ya devarigĕ cuḍapa ga |
| 4 | o ಡ | 0 ḍa |

## Gallery

* 3D scanning of the Kalya Kalleshwara Temple North Boulder Inscription
* Kalya 1368CE Bukkaraya inscription
* Kalya 550CE Inscription
* 3D scanning of the Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th-century Mahanta Inscription
* The Kalya 14th-century Mukkode Jina Shloka Inscription
* Digital Image of the Kalya 14-16Th Century Ganesha Sculpture
* 3D scanning of the Kalya Kalleshwara Temple 16th-century Ballabatta Boulder Inscription