Recently the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Mangaluru,
has published an important thesis on the history of Tulunadu compiled by (1984)
Late Dr. B. Vasantha Shetty (1950-1997)
entitled “ Barakuru: A Metropolitan city
of antiquity-its history and culture.”
Dr. B.
Vasantha Shetty
Dr. B. Vasantha Shetty was the Vice Principal
and the Head of the Department of History and Archeology at St Marys Syrian
College, Brahmavara, Udupi at the time of compiling and submitting the thesis (1984)
under the guidance of Prof. Dr A.Y. Narasimha Murthy, Prof & Head,
Department of Postgraduate studies and research in Ancient History and
Archeology, University of Mysore at Mysore. It is sad to note that the
promising historian Dr. Vasantha Shetty expired (1997) in his young age. With
his rather premature death, the field of Tulu studies has lost an important researcher.
Barakanuru
Vasantha Shetty reports that the earliest
documented form of name as found in the inscription (dated ca 11th Century CE) located in the
Hosala Durga /Mahalakshmi temple for the town was Barakanuru. In support
of this conclusion he cites two epigraphs located in areas outside the district, dated 1122 and 1135 CE relating to the period
of Hoysala King Vishnuvardhana, which also refer to this place as Barakanuru. Arab historian Rashi-ud-Din in
his compiled work (1310) referred to this port as Fakanur, which appears to be
a corrupt form of Barakanuru. Near Barakuru there is deep pit in the
river known as Barakana-gundi (or Barakana-baligundi).
Bāraha kanyāpura
The application
of the name Bāraha kanyāpura for
the place appears around 1155 CE as found in an inscription of the period
during the reign of Alupa King Kavi Alupendra. The Sanskritized place name
Bāraha kanyāpura apparently has been associated with the legends of Bhutala
Pandya. The legendary Bhutala Pandya is said to have married 12 Jaina maidens; the
incident appear to have modified the name of the city to Bāraha kanyāpura.
The
data presented by Vasantha Shetty in the book leads us to infer that the legend
of Bhutala Pandya was created by certain Alupa Kings with the help of royal poets
of the period. However, the legends apparently do not have the support of corroborative
historical evidences. Though some of the royal records and Alupa inscriptions
of ca 1254-1261 CE, period express the
place name as Bāraha kanyāpura, the foreign
historians descriptions (like Fakanur or Bacanur) as well as the coins minted
during the period appear to have continued to mention the place as Barakanura gadhyana. Similarly, contemporaries of Alupas like the Ballala rulers who occupied Barakuru did
not accepted the use of the name of
Baraha Kanyapura suggesting that the legends of Bhutala Pandya were not
appealing to other rulers of the period.
Barakuru
In spite of entry of Baraha Kanyapura in contemporary
official Alupa records, many common people as well as other rulers stuck to the
old name of Barakanur. An inscription of Virapandyadeva-Alupendradeva dated
1257 mentioned the town “Bakur” probably due to engravers confusion or mistake.
Later inscriptions of the same ruler mentions the name of the capital as
Baraha-Kanyapura. However, Hoysala ruler Ballala III who married Chikkayi Tayi
of Alupa lineage and shared authority
over the Alupa capital issued inscriptions in 1334 CE carried the place name as Barakuru. Inscriptions
issued by Chikkayi Tayi in 1334 CE also
carried the name of Barakuru. Other Alupa rulers like Kulashekaradeva continued
the name of Baraha Kanyapura in his inscriptions of 1339 and 1345 CE.
Further the capital was acquired by
Vijayanagara rulers who also preferentially adopted the name of Barakuru only.
Similarly further rulers like Nayakas of Keladi also continued with the name of
Barakuru, derived from the old name of Barakanuru.
Alupas in Barakuru
Vasantha Shetty reports that the first record
of Alupa ruling in Barakuru dates back to 1139 CE (Saka 1062), in the
inscription attributed to Kavi Alupendra and found at Panchalingeshwara temple, Kotekeri, Barakuru. The said inscription mentions Tolahas of
Suralu. Also mentioned in the record is the Gadyana, the Alupa coin in vogue in
that period. The Barakuru became the capital city of Alupas
with effect from the year 1155 CE during the reign of King Kavi Alupendra, who ruled from the palace of Bāraha-kanyāpura, as recorded in
another inscription in the area. Kavi Alupendras queen was known as Pandya-Mahādevi.
Hoysalas in
Barakuru
One of the surprising historical data we find
as evident in an undated inscription of Kotekeri, Barakur is regarding the
joint rule of Vira Jagadevarasa (of Hoysala/Santara descent) and Pattamāhadevi (and her son Pandya-Devarasa
of Alupa descent) in Barakuru.
During the reign of Alupa ruler Soyideva,
Hoysala King Ballala III married Alupa princess Chikkayi Tāyi, and exercised Hoysala authority over the Barakuru. An
inscription dated 1336 CE at Mudukeri, Barakuru suggests that Chikkayi Tāyi,
Senior queen of Vira Ballala Devarasa ruled over Barakuru at that time.
Vijayanagara
rule
The Vijayanagara Kings based in Hampi deputed
Governors to rule the Barakuru province. Inscriptions of the period found at
Barakuru, represent the reign of Vijayanagara Kings from Bukka I and there on wards.
Reference
Vasantha Shetty, B, Dr (2006). Barakuru: A Metropolitan city of
antiquity its history and culture. (Thesis
submitted for doctoral degree in 1984).
Published by Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, Tulu Bhavana, Urva Stores,
Mangaluru-575006 p.xvi+ 296.
(Price: Rs.800.)