HOSTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS:
The temple of Kartikeya has yielded as many as eight inscriptions, all unpublished. I have made a study of these recods for the first time and their texts are published in this monograph. In the inscriptions we came across “Ulluru Swamy Karthikeya” and “Kandavara dolagana – Ullura – Swamy Karthikeya” These two terms clearly indicate that Kartikeya is the God of Ulluru and Ulluru is with in Kandavara i.e., the village Kandavara. The earliest of the inscriptions mentioning this belongs to the middle of the fourteenth century. It is thus clear that by the 14th century the two names – Ulluru and Kandavara – had century the two names – Ulluru and Kandavara – had become popular. However, they do not give us even simple clue regarding the derivation of the place name.
The other temple of this place is of God JANARDHANA. It is in a bad condition and has no record for its history. Thus the problem of place name remains unsolved. Therefore, the root of the place name need be searched elsewhere.
The archaeological remains close to Janardhana temple indicate that Kandavara was a place of considerable antiquity. Here we come across ruins of a fortification and possibly a royal path leading to the temple. Remains of a straight and broad road connecting the two temples are visible. This indicates the existence of a large establishment in historic times possibly a military camp.
In Sanskrit as well as in Kannada a military camp (a Cantonment) is called Skandavara. Hattiyangadi, one of the earliest capitals of the Alupas and the ancient port town of Basaruru needed protection and a force to be in charge of it. Very close to these placed camp up a Skandhavara. This in due course came to be called Kandavara, a name to the village also.
Skanda-Kartikeya, the destroyer of Taraka, the demon was the commander – in – chief of the forces of the Devatas. Hence became the presiding deity of the military camp. According to Bhishmaparva Bhishma worshipped Skanda before accepting the responsibility of the supreme command of the Kaurava forces to be led to the Kurukshetra battle. In every Skandhavara image of Skanda was installed and worshipped by the men of militia. Skandhavara near Basaruru also got a temple of Skanda; it exists even today. Hence, the place name Kandavara is only a reminiscent of a very ancient military camp – Skandhavara.
There are a few places in Dakshina Kannada district with the name Kandvara; probably they represent a case similar to that of the village Kandavara of Basaruru.
Stories regarding the birth of Skanda
There are a good number of stories regarding the birth of Skanda. Skanda – Kartikeya is not mentioned in the Rig Veda. However we find the mention of Kumara denoting a son, a child or a youth. He is found in association with Agni. Satapata Brahmana says that Prajapati laid seed into Ushas and a son was born in a year. The child was named Rudra as it cried very loud. Rudra is said to be the other name of Agni. The child was then given several named such as Sarva. Pasupati, Ugra, Asam, Bhava, Mahadeva and Ishana. These are stated to be the names of one god.
Aranya Parva of Mahabharata tells us that Kartikeya (Kumara) was the son of Agni. Indra appealed to Brahma for this and the latter granted it. Another account found the same text tells us that Skanda – Kartikeya was son of Agni and Svaha (daughter of Saksha). Yet another story in the same text tells that and Svaha got a son named Skanda (Kumara – Kartikeya). Thus Karthikeya became the son of Shiva and Parvati the story in Brahma Purana is the theme of Kumara Sambhavam of Kalidasa.
Skanda Yaga in Atharva Veda raises a curious doubt regarding the parents of Skanda. It says – “Some call son of Agni son of Krittikas son of Indra; some son of Pasupati, of Rudra; who thou art, art thou; ‘reverence’ to thee’.
Karthikeya has been worshipped as the Commander – in Chief of the forces of the Devatas who killed the demon, as grihadevata as the protector and bestowed to progeny, wealth, speech etc. he is similar to the Roman war Lord – MARS and ARES, the Greek war Lord. Manu foreign rulers who came to India began to worship Kartikeya. Several Indian Rulers such as the Guptas, the Kadambas, the Pallavas etc. were ardent worshippers of Kartikeya and many of the Kings had been named after this God. Both foreign and Indian rulers ruling over different parts of India have issued a number of coins and inscriptions in the name of this god and have even installed the images of Kartikeya in various forts and places.
TEMPLE INSCRIPTIONS
Though Kandavara is a very ancient place the image consecrated in the temple dates back to about 10th century A.D. Probably that is due t a possible renovation of the temple and installation of a new image during that period. The role played by this temple during the Vijayanagara period has been very well highlighted by as many as eight epigraphs found inside the prakara of this temple. They are copied read and edited here for the first time and their texts are given at the end for the purpose of further study.
- Inscription of Bukka I: The earliest inscription of this temple belongs to the time of emperor Bukka I and is dated A. D. 1358. Maha – Pradhana Malleya Dannayaka was the governor of Barakuru Rajya. Then Karanika Vissanna son of Madamna constructed a Chowltry and endowed it to the temple. Also made some grants of paddy fields yielding 18 midis of rice annually for the maintenance of the Choultry and worship in the temple. The fields were purchased for this purpose after paying the market value to the owners of the lands. Though much part of this inscription is efface, it provides us a clue for knowing about the various grants previously enjoyed by this temple.
- Inscription of Devaraya I: This inscription is dated A. D. 1408 December 31 and states that Kandavara was a very big agrahara having 14 adhivasas. Bachanna Odeya of Goa the governor of Barakuru rajya exempted completely the Udupa and Hebbaruva people of this agrahara from payment of all types of taxes. This was done at the orders of the emperor Devarya I. the god is mentioned here as Shanmukha.
For the first time we have here a dated inscription for the Tulu script. In lines 34 and 35 Tulu script has been used for mentioning the name of the god. - Inscription of Devaraya II: This is dated A. D. 1432 May. 1 and mentions Chandarasa Odeyar as the governor of Barkuru rajya. The record mentions grant made by the people of two adhivasa of Kandavara for the worship and upkeep of the temple. Naraharideva the adhikari of Kandavara and the grand son of Timmmarasa was a witness to this grant.
- Inscription of Praudha Veera Pratapa Devaraya (Mallikarjuna): this is dated AD 1455 December 27 and mentions a grant made to the temple by Bhanappa Odeya the governor of Barakuru rajya. Narahari deva continued to be the adhikari of Kandavara.
- Inscription of Virupaksha: (A) This dated A. D. 1467 August 15 and mentions a grant made to the temple Vittarasa Odeya the governor of Barakuru Rajya for the Health wealth and prosperity of the emperor.
(B) This is dated A. D. 1469 and seems to record a grant to the temple. Details of the record are completely lost as the inscription of totally effected. ‘bidu’ = Devasva and Sripadamgalige’ could made out in the extinct portion of the inscription. - Inscription of Krishnadevaraya: This dated A. D. 1522 September 5 and records a grant of 108 doddavarabha gadyanas – 12 each to nine brahmanas of Kandavara on the occasion of the Lunar eclipse. This was done for the health wealth and prosperity of the emperor Krishna Devaraya by Vittharasa Odeya, the governor of Barakuru rajya. The governor is stated to be the son of karanika Lakshminarayana Odeya and his wife Dharmarsi. Vittharasa was a local person enjoying the headship of a province (his home province).
- Inscription of Balegara Timma Setti: Palaeographically this epigraph belongs to the 18th century and is partially dated. The saka era is missing here. It may be placed tentatively to A. D. 1563. the inscription records a grant of 75 varaha gadyanas to Kartikeya by timma Setti of Balegara ballu and son of Annaluva of Basaryry for the sake of Nityapurana and buring of nandadipa (perpetual lamp) in the temple.
Timma Setti’s inscription seems to be the last in the line. Because no other records is available so far to know about the condition of the temple after the Vijayanagara period.
Reference to Kandavara in the Inscription of Basarur.
We have seen above the inseparable nature of the relationship of Kandavara (ancient Skandhanara) with ancient port Town of Basarur. In course of time Kandavara developed as a agrahara and a place of treasury (Bhandarasthala) of Basaruru. All these led to the mention of Kandavara in many of the inscriptions of Badaruru. All these led to te mention of Kandvara in many of the inscription of Basaruru (S. I. I. vol. IX pt. II Nos. 423, 446, 457, 468, 476, 517, 655 etc).
An inscription of Harihara II dated A. D. 1400 August 11 records a grant to “Ulluru Deva” ie., Kartikeya. Singana ayya the recipient of the grant is stated to be the son of Chakravarthi Upadhya the asthama vidwan of Sringeri Matha. An inscription of A. D. 1455 speaks of the role played by the people of Kandavara in settling a dispute between the Settikaras of Mudu keri and Paduva keri of Basaruru.
IMPORTANCE OF THE INSCRIPTIONS OF KANDAVARA
The inscription of Kandavara are important from various points of view. They provide us a description of various types of lands with their names the weights and measures the taxes the money in circulation and the rate of interest over financial transactions. The socio-religious straucture of Kandavara has been very well depicted here. Further the inscriptions also speak of the good contact that existed between Kandvara and Sringery Matha. The scholars of this place had the honour of being reconginsed asasthana vidwans of the sacred Sringeri Matha.
There is a modern inscription in Nagari script and Sanskrit language dated A. D. 1980 December 23. it speaks of the covering of the floor of inner prakara of the temple with granite slabs and dedicating it to the god. (Here is an example by engraving it wrongly).
Art and Architecture
The two temples (of Karthikeya and Janardhana) that are situated at a distance of a mile from each other belong to a late period than to what they should actually belong. Possibly both of them have been renovated from time to time. Further, their architecture is very simple. During its hay days it had a Mahadwara a prakara sufficiently big an outer pradakshina patha and a garbha griha at the centre. Only a few years ago the garbha griha was repaired and a new door has been fixed for the protection of the image. The image of Janardhana may belong to 9-10th century A.D.
Where as the Kartikeya – Subrahmanya temple is in some what good condition because of constant repairs. However its outer prakara is no more visible excepting a very simple gopura and dwara in front.
The image of Kartikeya inside the garbha griha is a fine piece of art. The image about a meter tall has an elegantly carved face and an elangated crown over the head. The body is fully covered with a long and strong mail – coat upto the knees. The image has vajra and spear in the right and left hands respectively. The Pea-cock the vahana of Kartikeya has been depicted very well with a raising neck pointed towards the face of the god. The image as such reflects the early Chalukya – Pallava style. Hence may belong to 8 – 9 century A. D.
The two temples (of Karthikeya and Janardhana) that are situated at a distance of a mile from each other belong to a late period than to what they should actually belong. Possibly both of them have been renovated from time to time. Further, their architecture is very simple. During its hay days it had a Mahadwara a prakara sufficiently big an outer pradakshina patha and a garbha griha at the centre. Only a few years ago the garbha griha was repaired and a new door has been fixed for the protection of the image. The image of Janardhana may belong to 9-10th century A.D.
Where as the Kartikeya – Subrahmanya temple is in some what good condition because of constant repairs. However its outer prakara is no more visible excepting a very simple gopura and dwara in front.
The image of Kartikeya inside the garbha griha is a fine piece of art. The image about a meter tall has an elegantly carved face and an elangated crown over the head. The body is fully covered with a long and strong mail – coat upto the knees. The image has vajra and spear in the right and left hands respectively. The Pea-cock the vahana of Kartikeya has been depicted very well with a raising neck pointed towards the face of the god. The image as such reflects the early Chalukya – Pallava style. Hence may belong to 8 – 9 century A. D.
In the South – eastern corner of the inner prakara there is a small guddi in which the god Ganesha has been installed. The present image is a copy of an image that had been worshipped here earlier. The original image now discarded due to multilation seem to be of 7 – 8th century A. D.
I n the South – western corner of the inner prakara many voting Naga images have been kept in a niche. They are of various sizes. Some of them belong to either pre or early Vijayanagara period. These images have now been installed in the recently renovated nagabana of the temple.
I n the South – western corner of the inner prakara many voting Naga images have been kept in a niche. They are of various sizes. Some of them belong to either pre or early Vijayanagara period. These images have now been installed in the recently renovated nagabana of the temple.
Kandavara during the Post – Vijayanagara period:
During the post – vijayanagara period the district of South Kanara witnessed a lot of political vicissitudes. The reflections were naturally there on Basaruru and its neighbourhood Kandavara. It created a socioeconomic imbalance touching very heavily the day – to – day activities in the temple of Karthikeya. The temple gradually began to loose it grandeur. As the agrahara died so began the days of struggle for existence. The British government which came into existence after the death of Tipu began a scheme of providing a subsistence grant every temple for their maintenance.
During the post – vijayanagara period the district of South Kanara witnessed a lot of political vicissitudes. The reflections were naturally there on Basaruru and its neighbourhood Kandavara. It created a socioeconomic imbalance touching very heavily the day – to – day activities in the temple of Karthikeya. The temple gradually began to loose it grandeur. As the agrahara died so began the days of struggle for existence. The British government which came into existence after the death of Tipu began a scheme of providing a subsistence grant every temple for their maintenance.
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