T Dasarahalli (Bengaluru) Inscriptions and Herostones

T Dasarahalli is a locality in North Bengaluru, it is home to four Kannada inscriptions that are dated to a period from 8th century CE to 10th century CE; all the inscriptions refer contextually to the deaths of heroes who fought in fierce battles. The inscriptions mention the historical name of T Dasarahalli as Injatur and mention several administrative divisions like Palikkarinad, Kukkalanad and Karikanad. Of the four inscriptions, two inscriptions - Kosigaramalta Guramareya's Turugol herostone and Marasinga Turugol herostone are physically present while the physical status of the latter two - Kukkara Inscription and the Dharmagudu inscription remains unknown. The inscriptions were published in Epigraphia Carnatica and Journal of the Mythic Society.

T Dasarahalli Herostones with Inscription. Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

T Dasarahalli 800CE Kosigaramalta Guramareya's Turugol herostone inscription

T Dasarahalli 800CE Kosigaramalta Guramareya's Turugol herostone with inscription
Digital Image of the T Dasarahalli 800CE Kosigaramalta Guramareya's Turugol herostone with inscription. Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Material	Stone
Height	106 cm (42 in)
Width	121 cm (48 in)
Writing	Kannada script of that time
Created	800 (800)
Discovered	1905
Discovered by	B L Rice and team of the Mysore Archaelogical Department
Present location	13.042611°N 77.509639°E / 13.042611; 77.509639
https://mythicsociety.github.io/AksharaBhandara/#/learn/Shasanagalu?id=115144

It is a Kannada inscription dated paleographically to 800 CE that commemorates the courageous demise of Kosigaramalta Guramareya, who met a heroic death while defending against a cattle raid (known as turugol) in the region of Injatur. Turugol is a term used to describe the act of 'cattle raiding,' which involved the theft of cattle. In the ancient days Cattle were highly regarded as a source of wealth, so the raids were carried out to loot and people defending the raids were duly honored on their death by erecting Herostones. The existence of two of them suggests that this place would have been especially prone to such raids. The place name "Injatur" is mentioned in the two adjacent inscriptions. Based on this evidence, we can deduce that the area surrounding these hero stones, which is now known as Dasarahalli, was formerly referred to as Injatur. It was first published in the Mythic Society Journal.

Physical characteristics

The inscription is 106 cm tall, 121 cm wide. The Kannada Characters are 5 cm tall, 2 cm wide & 0.22 cm deep (very shallow depth). The sculpture portrays a battle scene where the hero clutches a bow and a dagger, while arrows inflict injuries upon him. Apsaras, positioned on either side, gracefully hold flywhisks (chamara). Adjacent to the last character of the inscription, a delicately inscribed four-petal flower can be observed.

Transliteration of the inscription

The transliteration of the text was published in the Mythic society journal.

3D scanning of the T Dasarahalli 800CE Kosigaramalta Guramareya's Turugol Herostone Inscription. Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Digital Images of the each of the characters of this inscription, images of the inscription itself, summary and the other information about the inscription have been shared via Aksharabhandara Software

Line Number	Kannada	IAST
1	಄ ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿ ಶ್ರೀ ಕೋಸಿಗರಮೞ್ತ ಗುರಾಮರೆಯನಿಞ್ಜ	಄ svasti śrī kosigaramaḻta gurāmarĕyaniñja
2	ತೂರಾ ತುಱುಗೊಳೊಳ್ಕದಿ ಸತ್ತನ್	tūrā tuṟugŏlŏ̤lka̤ di sattan

T Dasarahalli 800CE Marasinga Turugol herostone with inscription

The T Dasarahalli 800CE Marasinga Turugol herostone with inscription
Digital image of The T Dasarahalli 800CE Turugol Herostone obtained by 3d digital scanning of the herostone. Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Material	Stone
Height	110 cm (43 in)
Width	129 cm (51 in)
Writing	Kannada script of that time
Created	900 (900)
Discovered	1905
Discovered by	B L Rice and team of the Mysore Archaelogical Department
Present location	13.042611°N 77.509639°E / 13.042611; 77.509639
Language	Kannada language of that time
https://mythicsociety.github.io/AksharaBhandara/#/learn/Shasanagalu?id=115143

It is a herostone with a Kannada inscription which was inscribed in memory of Marasinga who died while defending Injatur from Turugol, a term used to describe the act of 'cattle raiding,' which involved the theft of cattle. It also mentions that this inscription was written in the reign of 'mādĕyagāmuṃḍa', the suffix gāmuṃḍa is an old Kannada word referring to the headman of the village, we can see the use of the same word as "gāvunda", "gāvundar" and "gāmundar" which correspond to "gowda" presently in Kannada. Presently the inscription can be found in T Dasarahalli.

Transliteration of the inscription

The transliteration of the text was published in the Epigraphia carnatica, a rereading of the text was published in the Mythic society journal.

3D Scanning of the T Dasarahalli 800CE Turugol Herostone With Inscription. Picture Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Digital Images of the each of the characters of this inscription, images of the inscription itself, summary and the other information about the inscription have been shared via Aksharabhandara Software

Line Number	Kannada	IAST
1	಄ ಸ್ವೊಸ್ತಿಶ್ರೀ ಮಾದೆಯಗಾಮುಂಡ	಄ svŏstiśrī mādĕyagāmuṃḍa
2	ರೀ ಪೆರಿಯೂರು ಊಮಿಯ ಸಿರಿ	rī pĕriyūru ūmiya siri
3	ಊರ ರಾಮಾಗನು ಮಾರಸಿಙ್ಗ	ūra rāmāganu mārasiṅga
4	ಇನ್ಜತುರ ತೂಱೂಗೊಳೆ ಸತನ್	injatura tūṟūgŏlĕ satan
5	ಇ ಊರ ಆಳ್ವೊ ಸತಂ	i ūra ālvŏ̤ satam

Translation

The translation of the text is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia carnatica.

Be it well, when Madiyamunda was ruling this Periyur, Siriyura's son Marasinga died fighting in the turugol of Injatur."

T Dasarahalli 8th-century CE Kukkara inscription

It is a Kannada inscription issued in the reign of the Western Ganga King Sripurusha in the 8th century CE, it records that the heroic death of a Kukkara ruling Bidirkal who drove out the Palikkarinad, while Bidirkal corresponds to the same area, one of the sub-localities around T Dasarahalli goes by Chikkabidirakallu, the latter cannot be ascribed a corresponding location presently. It was documented in Epigraphia Carnatica Volume 9. The present status of the inscription is not known. It also records the scribe's name as Naga. Presently, the physical status of the inscription is not known.

Transliteration of the inscription

The text of the transliteration was published in Epigraphia carnatica and the rereading of the same in Journal of the Mythic Society.

Line Number	Kannada	modern English
1	ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿಶ್ರಿಮತ್‍ ಶ್ರಿಪುರುಷ ಮಹಾರಾಜಂ ಪೃಥುವೀ ರಾ	svastiśrī śrīpurusha maharājam pruthuvi rā
2	ಜ್ಯಂಗೆಯ್ಯೆ ವೊಲೆತ್ತಾಳ್ವೊರೆನ್ನ ಕರಿಕನಾಡ	jyamgeyye volettalvorenna karikanāda
3	ಬಿದಿರ್ಕಲ್ಲಾಳ್ದ ಕುಕ್ಕರಪಾೞಿಕ್ಕಾಱಿನಾಡಿಯರ್ ತುರಿದು	bidirkallalda kukkarapaalkkarinaadiyar turidu
4	ಪಡೆಯುಳವರಷ್ಟೆ ಬಲಮನ್ನ ಎಱಿದುಬಿಱ್ದು . .	padeyulavarashte balamanna eridubirdu. .
5	ಶ್ರೀಅಮ್ಬಿ ಆಚಾರಿಯರ ಮಗ ನ್ನಾಗನ್‍ ಮಡಿದ	śrīambi āchāriyara maga naga mādida

Translation

The translation of the text is published in Volume 9 of Epigraphia carnatica.

"Be it well. When Sripurusha-maharaja was ruling the kingdom of the earth : called Polettalvor, Kukkara who was ruling Bidirkkal in Karika-nad, drove out the Palikkari-nad people, and smiting the whole force of foot-soldiers, fell. Ambi-achari's son Naga made this."

T Dasarahalli10th Century CE Dharmagudu inscription

It is a Kannada inscription dated to the 10th Century CE, much of the inscription cannot be deduced as it is incomplete, from the available text it can probably be inferred that it is an inscription to a hero who died fighting. Presently, the physical status of the inscription is not known.

Transliteration of the inscription

The text is published in the Epigraphia Carnatica.

Line Number	Kannada	modern English
1	ಸ್ವಸ್ತಿಶ್ರಿ ಇನ್ದರನಾಳಾಧರ್ಮಗುಡು . .	svastiśrī indaranālādharmagudu. .
2	ನುಮಿಱಿದು ಸ್ವರ್ಗ್ಗಸ್ತರಾದರ್ ಇದ . .	numiridu svargastarādar ida. .
3	. . . . . . ದಳ್ದಗಿಯರಮ್ಮ . . .	. . . . . . . daldagiyaramma
4	ಇದಮ್ಮಸಿದಾಪರಿಯ . . . .	idammasidāpariya. . . . .
5	. . . . . . .	. . . . . . .

Translation

The translation is published in the Epigraphia carnatica.

Be it well. When Indara was ruling- Dharmagudu, piercing ................... Went to svargga. A grant was made for him. Imprecation.