Sculptures with new stories

Shilpa P documents the discovery of Hoysala-era inscriptions in Mandya that reveal new information about the region.

A new discovery from the Hoysala period emerged in Mandya district recently. Research scholars from the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada at the Central Institute of Indian Language in Mysuru discovered inscriptions and sculptures from the 12th and 13th centuries in Ragimuddenahalli, Pandavapura taluk. 

These inscriptions indicate several interesting facts. First, the area was a religious centre of Shaivism in the Hoysala period. People here also worshipped Bhairavis, which is generally more common in Central India, including in Odisha.

The researchers found sculptures of 'Aasithaanga Bhairava', 'Aathmabali' and a rare yogini sculpture of ‘Yaakini’ sculpted in soap stones under a mango tree in the agricultural land owned by a resident, Mahadevappa. In the same village, in an old Eshwara temple, they found a Saptamatrika sculptural panel with the names of male deities engraved. 

Also, at the Brindavana in the centre of the village, they found a sculptural panel of Bhairavis. This was earlier said to have been misinterpreted as sculptures of Saptamatrikas, according to researcher C A Shashidhara who identified these new discoveries.

Shashidhara adds, "In the pedestal of this sculptural panel of Bhairava, the name of the sculptor is mentioned as 'Yarjochana maga Baichoja', so Baichoja has sculpted this. The pedestals of this sculpture and the Saptamatrika have the names of Hoysala period sculptors."

Cultural significance

The inscription, which is in Kannada, also indicates that father and son have created these sculptures. In the sculptural panel of Bhairavi too, it is mentioned that 'Madigonda's son Sindagowda' has donated to the work. “The Aathmabali sculpture indicates that there was a practice of soldiers sacrificing their lives to fulfil their vows to God for victory in a battle," Shashidhara says.

Explaining the importance of these sculptures, he says, "In the 12th and 13th century, 800 years ago, this village was known as Moodalahalli. Now, this area is part of Raagimuddenahalli and Dinka villages. These discoveries reveal that this village was a Shaiva religious centre with the evidence of the Hoysala-era Shiva temple and a Bhairava sculpture," Shashidhara explains.

Supporting his statement on the importance of these sculptures, retired Archaeology Professor N S Rangaraju says, "Several such rare 800-year-old sculptures from the 12th and 13th centuries of the Hoysala period have been discovered in South Karnataka.”

This includes Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Chikkamagaluru and Tumakuru. “But the study of these sculptors is rare. There has to be a comprehensive study about the sculptors," he adds. Director of the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Kannada (CESCK), Neelagiri Talawar, says, "So far, the team has discovered four such rare Hoysala inscriptions, many sculptures and hero stones. Due to a lack of space, we have not been able to move them from their respective places to our premises.”

Prof Rangaraju adds, "CESCK should get at least a 5-acre land to come up with an Open Air Museum to house these sculptures and inscriptions so that they protect them. They can maintain an antiquity register on who discovered them and where, and can get registration numbers for those sculptures from the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage.” 

After identifying the inscriptions, Shashidhara has taken up the initiative to complete their e-stampage along with his team and the landowners. 

A sculpture of Bhairava.

A sculptural panel featuring Saptamatrikas.