CHAPTER -1 INTRODUCTION AND NAME OF THE PLACES INTRODUCTION : The present day Belgaum city is now the headquarters of the Belgaum district of Karnataka State and is also a seat of divisional commission of four Districts. The district is located in the North -Western part of the state. It lies between 15’.23’ and 16’.88’ longitudes and between 70’.28 latitude. The most elevated portion of the district lies to the west and south along the line of Sahyadri hills. The district is between 450 to 900 meters above MSL and extends over an area of 13,379 KM. which is 6.99% of the total geographical area of the state. In the south and along the banks of large rivers the Krishna, the Ghataprabha, and the Malaprabha the surface is pleasantly covered by trees, solitary and in groups. The area of the district was 13,415 3q. km. The district is surrounded by the Maharashtra State in north, Bijapur district in the east, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada district in the South, Goa territory and Maharashtra state in the west 2 It is well-known that, during the ancient period it was one of the flourishing cities. It has enjoyed all the privileges as it was under the dominant ruling dynasties of Karnataka viz., Chalukyas of Badami, the Rashtrakutas, Chaiukyas of Kalyana and the Kalachuris etc., including their feudatories like Rattas the Kadambas of Goa, the Shilaharas of Kolhapur and Seunas. The town Belgaum was called “Ikshuarama" in 9th Century A.D. For example an inscription 2 dated 805 A.D. mentions this place as Ikshugrama . Another record dated 1261 A.D. name this place as Ikshugrama Belgaum was also called “Venugrama" in 12th Century A.D. For example an inscription dated 1199 A.D. mentions this 4 place as Venugrama . It was made the capital city under the Rattas during the 12th Century Venu stands for bamboo which is abounded in this area where there were thick forests. The present name derived is from Velugrama or Venugrama (village of Bamboos) which was later termed as Belagugrama, Belugav and Ultimately Belgavi. It has two bastis (Temple) in later Chalukyas style. One of them Kamala Basti built in 1204 by one Bichana or Bichiraja, a minister of Kartavirya IV of Ratta dynasty5. On the opposite side, to the right of Kamala basti is another ruined jaina temple without garbhagriha. It has temples like kapilesvara, Anathashayana, Maruti etc.. Apart from a copper plate grant of Chalukya Vijayaditya there are more than thirty epigraphs of the times from Rashtrakutas to the Kings of Vijayanagara. They give some interesting information regarding both the political and cultural history of the period under study. There are a few Scupltures and memorials also. Some of them are erected infront of the local temples and others are lying in different parts of the area. Belgaum was a place of importance in the ancient period. The inscription found here at present are very mearge. Hence to have a better perspective of the region, I have selected inscriptions from a few more places from region like, Badli, Munavalli, Huli, Sirasangi, Sogal, Soundatti, Kokatnur, Ramathirth, Telsang, Kerur, Examba, Chikodi, Konnur, Gokak, Halsi, Khanapur, M.K.Hubli, Bhailhongal, Chachadi, Nesargi, Shankeshvar and Bedakihal which were also like part of Koondi -3000 and Halasige - 12000. With the help of these inscriptions, found in these places, an attempt is made here to give a picture of Political, Social, religious and economic conditions of this region in the ancient period. Therefore, in this dissertation THE HISTORY OF BELGAUM DISTRIC" the chronological range that has been concerned is from the sixth century to the end of thirteenth century A.D. The Study of the present work is mainly based on numerous lithic and copper-plate inscriptions hailing from the Belgaum and its adjacent areas. The study of the temples and Scupltures of the region in addition to the other sources have also been used while preparing this work. At least from the 9th and 10th Century onwards we get a regular inscriptions in this region, which are mainly in Kannada and these yield the informations for Political and Cultural history. But the published inscriptions form only a small number compared to those that remained unpublished, and these unpublished inscriptions have also been used along with published for writing this dissertation. The inscriptions are of immense important for writing the Socic -religion history. Because the major Part of the inscriptions witnessed the establishments of Agraharas, Ghatikasthanas, Brahmapuris, temples, mathas and their teachers who were experts religious scriptures. In field of economic they give us the informations about the agriculture, system of guild, revenue system and taxation etc.. The inscriptions in the places mentioned below will give us the idea of the important places spread over tiie districts in olden times. SOUNDATTI: It is well known that during the ancient period Saundatti played an important role not only in the history of the region but also in tiie history of Karnataka. The town savadatti was called Sugandhavarti in 9* Cent. A.D. For 6 example an inscription dated 875 A.D. mentions this place as Sugandhavarti. 4 Another record dated 1228 A.D7 names this place as Savandatti, During the period under study it was an headquarter of an administrative division called Sugandhavarthi -12. It was a Rajadhani pattana i.e. Capital of the Rattas before they shifted their capital to Venugrama i.e. Belgaum. The place has more that six inscriptions of the Ratta chiefs of the period from 980 to 1229 A.D.. In view of some of them it was one of the famous Jaina centres during. Mention may be made here that there is one inscription at the g Bastigudi dated 875 A.D. Speaks about the construction of a Jinendrabhavana The Saundatti inscription dated 1098 A.D. records a Jaina basadi i.e. temple of 9 Jinendra built by Kalasena of the Ratta family. At present there are a few temples viz., Ankesvara, purandesvara, Nagarakere Mallikarjuna, Vendatesvara, Veerabhadra, Ulavi, Basavesvara, Maunesvara and Dyamava. SIRASANGI: Sirasangi a place historical importance is situated 20 k.ms. from the Saundatti. The town Sirasangi was called “Risyasringa” or “Rishisringapura” or “Pirisingi" or “Hirishingi”, in 12th Century A.D. For example an inscription dated to 11 1186 A.D. mentions this place as Risyasringa and Hirisinge. Another record dated 1148 A.D name this place as Risisringapura and Pirisingi. It was commercial centre of Antiquity. The place is known for many temples such as Kalmesvara, and Bhairavesvara or Kalamma. There are two inscriptions one slab inscription standing before the Kalmesvara temple of Jagadekamalladeva (II) is dated 1148 A.D. and registers a grant to one acharya Rudra Saktideva for 12 worship and repairs of the Gramesvaradeva temple. Another inscription of Kalama temple is again a slab inception of and one of Tribhunamalla Vira- Somesvar IV. It gives a mythological account of the place called as Risyasringa included in Kalannur -30 (Kampana) division of the Kuntala country, and mentioned that the village is made sacred on account of the temples of Ramesvara Lakshmanesvara and Hanmantesvara installed by SriRama and 5 Lakshamana who after destroying the demons headed by Ravana camped at 13 hermitage of Ris yasringa on their way to Ayodhaya. SOGAL: The present village Sogal situated 16 k.m. from Bailhongal is a place described to a sage sugola Muni who is believed to have lived here but one inscription dated 980 A.D. refers not to Sogal but to soval Solu, and So^4. The Sogal temple has -dedicated to Somesvara. Boramma or Bhramarambha, Doddappaiah and Venkatesvara. Near the Somesvara temple is a later Chalukyan inscription dated 980 A.D. It is composed by a poet called Kamaladitya, and refers to Emperor Taila II and Ratta Kartaveerya I perhaps he was the ruler than. It records a giant to Suvarnakshideva and kalamukha sage 16 Tribhuvana Singh Pandita by Kanchiyabbe of the Dhanaga (Kurubar) Family. The record Says that tigers came to lend ears to the religious teaching of the 17 place. Sogal was the headquarters of division of 30 villages. On the hill nearly to the east is an old fortification called locally as Kadambarayana Kote, may be of a Later Kadamba Kings. HALSHI: Halshi is a village in the Khanapur taluka of Belgaum district. Its ancient 18 19 name is given in inscriptions variously as palasika. Palasika and Halasige. The name appears to have been derived from palasha in Sanskrit. It was the secondary capital under the Goa Kadambas who ruled between 980 -1250 A.D. Here Seven copper plates of there’s were located. It is one of the oldest towns in the district with many monuments. During the days of Early Kadambas it was a centre of Jainism, Vaishnavism and Shaivism. It was the headquarters of a very big province called in inscriptions as Halasige -12000. Consisting parte of present day Dharwad and Belgaum districts. 6 The place has temples dedicated to Bhuvahara Narasimha, Kapilesvara, Suvamesvara, Kamalesvara, Hatakesvara, Gokarnesvara and a Jaina Basati. The Bhuvaharanarasimha temple is a huge complex built in Later Chalukyan style. There are two garbhagrihas only the main garbhagriha of Narayana a Sikhara built in Kadambanagar style. Facing Narayana image is another garbhagrah with a standing image of Varah installed in 1186 -87 A.D. by Chalukya king Vijayaditya III. There is a stone inscription on the right side wail. This inscription dat?d 1169 A.D. registers a gift of a village Sindavalli. It mentions that the temple was built by Sivachitta and one matayogi installed the image of Anant Vikrama Narasimha in 1169 A.D.