ADHVAGATI

Memorial stones erected in honour of people who died heroic deaths are found  all over Karnataka and parts of neighbouring states. Beautifully sculpted, with graphic details about the heroic deed, these Veera Kallus ( Veeragals )often show a moon and a sun in the top panel to indicate the wish that the name of the hero shall shine till the sun and the moon shine in the sky. But sadly, not all Veeragallus have the name inscribed. Only some do.  Veeragallus ( Hero Stones ) are classified according to the nature of the documented death. Yuddha or Kote Kalaga : hero died in war Ooralivu : Hero died defending his town/village   Gadi Kalaha : Hero died preventing entry of invaders Gograhana or Thurugol : Hero died defending cattle during a cattle heist Pendirudeyurch : Hero died defending honour of women Bete : Hero died during a hunt. Memorials similar to Veergallus were also put up for women who comitted sati ( Masti Kallu ), for people who vo...

Begur is not far from Bangalore city, but was not exactly Bangalore historically. Yet ,it turns out to be the place where the oldest inscription to name our city was found.  And no, it has no story about the boiled beans. There never was a boiled bean , except in old wives tales. Bengaluru was Vangalur in the inscriptions .And, it would seem, not some great place either, compared to Begur's own importance ! Bengaluru was just a place where some soldier, Buttana Setti by name, had died in battle. (The Begur Inscriptions are secure in The Bangalore Museum) . Not much is known about the Western Gangas, though they ruled for long. But they  have left us some nice religious monuments, among them , The Naganatheshwara ( or Nageshwara) in Begur, which has later evolved into Panchalingeshwara with added shrines. One doesn't expect a shrine of such great antiquity and architectural style to pop up suddenly in a busy semi rural market street. At first, its  disorienti...