Bommalagutta (also known as Siddhula Gutta, Bommalamma Talli Gutta and Vrushabhadri Hill) is a Jain centre situated near Kurikyala village of Karimnagar district in Telangana. This Jain center is situated 3 km from another famous Jain center Kulpakji.[1]
| Bommalagutta | |
|---|---|
బొమ్మలమ్మ గుట్ట | |
 Goddess Chakreshvari relief on Bommalagutta | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Jainism |
| Deity | Chakreshvari |
| Festivals | Mahavir Jayanti |
| Location | |
| Location | Karimnagar, Telangana |
| Geographic coordinates | 18°33′13″N 79°00′55″E / 18.55361°N 79.01528°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Dravidian |
| Creator | Jina Vallabha |
| Funded by | Arikesari II |
| Date established | 945 CE |
| Specifications | |
| Temple(s) | 1 |
| Monument(s) | 1 |
| Materials | Rock cut |
Etymology
editBommalagutta means "Hill of figures" in Telugu. It is named in reference to the Bommalu (figures) carved on this hillock.[2] As per an inscription, the site was originally known as Siddhasila or Siddhula Gutta meaning "Hill of the enlightened". It was named in reference to the Siddhas carved on the hillock.[3][4][5]
History
editBommalagutta was constructed during the reign of Arikesari II of Vemulavada Chalukya. According to an inscription dated 945 CE, poet Jinavallabha, brother of noted Kannada poet Adikavi Pampa, installed stone images of Bharata, Bahubali and Rishabhanatha. The famous trilingual inscription is a 25 feet (7.6 m) inscription having 11 lines as a tribute to the kingdom for recognising poets. The inscription has verses composed in Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit.[6] This inscription is of utmost importance to Kannada and Telugu languages. It is written in three languages viz Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit. The Kannada portion contains invaluable information about Pampa. The Telugu portion is the oldest Telugu Kanda Padya. They are one of the important historical evidences, submitted to the Centre, for securing classic language status to Telugu.[7][8][9] The inscription also mentions the construction of Tribhuvanatilaka Basadi by Jinavallabha.[10] The top of the hill was used by Jain monks for meditation.[11]
Architecture
editThe temple is famous for stone carving image of Chakreshvari with eight arms under two Bahubali images.[11][8][2] Her iconography here includes Garuda. The bas-reliefs and the inscription have been painted over in red by the state officials in recent years for preservation and highlighting it.[12] There is a total of eight Tirthankaras carved on the hillock. The hill still preserves a few small Jain caves without any carvings.[3]
Tribhuvanatilaka Basadi exists near the Jain reliefs of Bommalagutta. This temple houses idols of Rishabhanatha and Mahavira. A tank called Kavitagunarnava and a garden named Madanvilas is also part of the temple premises.[10][4]
Gallery
edit-
-
trilingual inscription
-
Tirthankaras
Preservation
editOver the last 100 years, Jain statues and reliefs are discovered from the area, are preserved in the Karimnagar museum.[12][13][14]
See also
editReferences
editCitations
edit- ^ Ceremilla 2016.
- ^ a b Department of Heritage Telangana 2017.
- ^ a b Jawaharlal 2002, p. 57.
- ^ a b Nandi & Venkataramanayya 1966, p. 99.
- ^ The Hans India 2016.
- ^ Suryanarayana, p. 551.
- ^ "Bommalagutta". Telangana360. 10 January 2016.
- ^ a b Nanisetti 2017.
- ^ Tallam 2019.
- ^ a b Suryanarayana 1993, p. 14.
- ^ a b Miryala & Gade 2016, p. 105.
- ^ a b Balgoori 2013, pp. 167–177.
- ^ Dayashankar 2020.
- ^ Tallam 2020.
Sources
edit- Suryanarayana, Kolluru. History Of The Minor Chalukya Families In Medieval Andhradesa.
- Miryala, Ramesh Kumar; Gade, Jayaprakash Narayana (31 March 2016). Responsible Tourism & Human Accountability for Sustainable Business (1st ed.). Hyderabad: Zenon Academic Publishing. ISBN 978-93-85886-01-0.
- Suryanarayana, Kolluru (1993). Inscriptions of the Minor Chalukya Dynasties of Andhra Pradesh (1st ed.). New Delhi: Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-70992-16-5.
- Jawaharlal, G (2002). Jaina Monuments of Andhra. Delhi: Sharada Publishing House. ISBN 81-85616-86-8.
- Balgoori, Raju (2013). "Jaina culture in karimnagar district, telengana - a study". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 74. Indian History Congress: 167–177. ISSN 2249-1937. JSTOR 44158813. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - Nandi, Ramendra Nath; Venkataramanayya, N. (1966). "Social life in the agraharas of the deccan (c. A.D. 600-1000)". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 28. Indian History Congress: 97–106. JSTOR 44140399. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - Nanisetti, Serish (14 December 2017). "Bommalagutta inscription sheds light on poetic use of Telugu". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- Dayashankar, K.M. (15 June 2020). "Unearthing of Jain idol calls for more excavations". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- Tallam, Naveen Kumar (24 December 2020). "Ancient Jain carvings found in large boulder in Telangana's Jagtial district". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- Tallam, Naveen Kumar (11 October 2019). "Historian finds Neolithic tools in Bommalamma Gutta shrine". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- The Hans India (14 December 2016). "Sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras found near Jangaon". The Hans India. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- Ceremilla, Anudeep (18 December 2016). "Jain sculptures of Vedic times found in Telangana". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- Department of Heritage Telangana (2017). "Bommalammagutta (with inscription)". INTACH. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
External links
editMedia related to Bommalagutta at Wikimedia Commons