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There are several resources available for learning about Karnataka’s history, some of which we studied in the previous section. The most important source of information on our history, after literature, is the inscriptions on stone and copper panels from ancient times. Epigraphy is the study of ancient writings & scripts. These ancient writings are called “shasanas” in Kannada. These fall under two categories - “shilashasana”(stone inscriptions) and “taamrashasana”(copper inscriptions). Kings and their governors generally ordered these engravings. There are thousands of such inscriptions, from King Ashoka’s times to the Vijayanagar reign. They are written in Brahmi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit. The ones in Maski, Jantigarameshwar, Siddapura and Brahmagiri are in the Brahmi script.
Inspection and scientific research of these inscriptions began only after the British came to India. People were unaware of it till then. Englishmen Dr. Fleet and Rice were instrumental in laying the foundation for this research. They wrote a number of articles after studying Sanskrit and Kannada inscriptions and first published them in the journal “Indian Antiquary”. It is because of their efforts that we now know about some of our traditions. Many books by Rice, like the 1922 published “ Mysore and Coorg from the Inscriptions”, “Epigraphia Indica”, “Bombay-Karnataka Inscriptions” and “Hyderabad Archeological series” have helped in establishing Karnataka’s history.
The first king to use shasanas was King Ashoka. In Karnataka, these can be found in Maski, Sannati, Siddapura and Jantigarameshwara. They provide a lot of information about the Buddhist King Ashoka. The shasanas found in Kanheri, Karle and Nasik caves, written in Brahmi, are ideal for researching the history of Kadambas. Among the Ganga kings, Durvitana’s inscriptions are numerous. These are found in Mallohalli and Uttanuru and provide plenty of information on the Ganga dynasty. Govinda III’s “Manne” inscriptions portray the expansion of the Rashtrakuta kingdom. The “Halmadi” shasana, Mayuravarma’s “Chandravalli” shasana and Kakutsavarma’s “Talagunda” shasana describe the history of the Kadambas.
Immadi Pulikeshi’s “Aihole” inscriptions not only throw light on the Chalukya regime but also describe the epic battle between Pulikeshi & Harshavardhana on the banks of the Narmada River. The “Prashasthi” shasana from Kappe Arebhatta(7 AD), found near Badami has been a major tool in establishing the history of the Chalukyas. The inscriptions found in Belur speak of Vishnuvardhana’s victories and about the Hoysalas. Similarly, “Chikkanooru” shasana speaks of the Kalyani Chalukyas, “Lakkundi” shasana of the Hoysalas, Immadi Venkata’s “Singanayakanahalli” shasana of Vijayanagar, “Balgeri” shasana portrays the Kalachooras and the inscriptions in Shravanabelagola speak of Bukka –I.
There are two more forms of these ancient inscriptions – “Veeragallu” and “Maasthigallu”. Veeragallu were the stone monuments built for the warriors who fought valiantly against the enemies and lost their lives in the process. Maasthigallu were the monuments built for their brave wives, who sacrificed their lives on the funeral pyres of the husbands. These provide a great tool for those who research the ancient past. In the next part, we will learn about the writings of foreigners, which have also helped in establishing the history of Karnataka.
Translated by Vani Srikanta
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