Bommalagutta

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.Template:Sfn

Etymology

Bommalagutta means "Hill of figures" in Telugu. It is named in reference to the Bommalu (figures) carved on this hillock.Template:Sfn 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.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

History

Bommalagutta 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 Template:Convert inscription having 11 lines as a tribute to the kingdom for recognising poets. The inscription has verses composed in Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit.Template:Sfn 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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The inscription also mentions the construction of Tribhuvanatilaka Basadi by Jinavallabha.Template:Sfn The top of the hill was used by Jain monks for meditation.Template:Sfn

Architecture

The temple is famous for stone carving image of Chakreshvari with eight arms under two Bahubali images.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn 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.Template:Sfn There is a total of eight Tirthankaras carved on the hillock. The hill still preserves a few small Jain caves without any carvings.Template:Sfn

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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Gallery

• Chakreshvari
  Chakreshvari
• trilingual inscription
  trilingual inscription
• Tirthankaras
  Tirthankaras

Preservation

Over the last 100 years, Jain statues and reliefs are discovered from the area, are preserved in the Karimnagar museum.Template:SfnTemplate:SfnTemplate:Sfn

See also

• Kalugumalai Jain Beds
• Kulpakji

References

Sources

• History Of The Minor Chalukya Families In Medieval Andhradesa{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}
• Responsible Tourism & Human Accountability for Sustainable Business{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Zenon Academic Publishing(31 March 2016). ISBN 978-93-85886-01-0
• Inscriptions of the Minor Chalukya Dynasties of Andhra Pradesh{{#if:Suryanarayana|, Suryanarayana}. Mittal Publications(1993). ISBN 978-81-70992-16-5
• Jaina Monuments of Andhra{{#if:Jawaharlal|, Jawaharlal}. Sharada Publishing House(2002). ISBN 81-85616-86-8
• Jaina culture in karimnagar district, telengana - a study. Indian History Congress({Template:Year).
• Social life in the agraharas of the deccan (c. A.D. 600-1000). Indian History Congress({Template:Year).
• Bommalagutta inscription sheds light on poetic use of Telugu. The Hindu(14 December 2017). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Unearthing of Jain idol calls for more excavations. The Hindu(15 June 2020). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Ancient Jain carvings found in large boulder in Telangana's Jagtial district. The New Indian Express(24 December 2020). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Historian finds Neolithic tools in Bommalamma Gutta shrine. The New Indian Express(11 October 2019). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Sculptures of Jain Tirthankaras found near Jangaon. The Hans India(14 December 2016). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Jain sculptures of Vedic times found in Telangana. Deccan Chronicle(18 December 2016). Retrieved 8 July 2021.
• Bommalammagutta (with inscription)(2017). Retrieved 8 July 2021.

External links

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