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No. 19)
MORE INSCRIPTIONS AT ABLUR
143
Adverting to Ekåntada Rāmayya, we may see how his achievements had passed into legend and were considered worthy of representation in sculptures by this time, that is to say, about half a century after his period. We may also note the significant fact that all these ingorions are found in the temple of Somēśvara. This temple, according to the inscription E, was erected by Rāmayya himself. But it would be more reasonable to postulate that he was actually responsible for its main structure only to which additions might have been made subsequently. This surmise gains support from the testimony of other antiquities, tradition and literature. Besides the main shrine dedicated to the god Sõmēsvara, a linga, the temple contains two collateral shrines wherein are found two more lingas. They are known as Ekāntada Rāmayya and Agni Honnayya. It becomes evident from this that Ramayya was consecrated here in the form of a linga after his demise. Agni Honnayya, as the tradition avers, was the beloved guru of Rāmayya, who backed him up in his disputations against the Jainas. He must be identical with Agganiya. Honni Tande hajling from Puligere, who figures in the Ragale of Ekäntada Rāmayya by Harihara and also as Ponni Tande in the Abalura-charitre, a Kannada work of a late period. We are told in this work that the temple of Somēśvara was erected at the instance of Rāmayya by Sankapāla who must evidently be Sarka-gāvunda of the inscriptions, along with others, to celebrate the former's victory. Sõmēsvara appears to have been the favourite deity of Rāmayya. His native place Alande was sanctified by this deity and this place is referred to as the town of Sõmanātha' in the inscription E. This fact is further confirmed by the Aland inscription of Yuvarāja Mallikārjuna, edited by me in this journal. It speaks of Alande as specially favoured by god Sõmēsvara. Again, according to the inscription E, Rāmayya worshipped the deity Sõmanātha at Huligere before he proceeded to Ablür.'
By the middle of the 12th century Karnataka witnessed the upsurge of a great religious movement emphasizing the superiority of god Siva and his devotion. Two eminent personalities, one in the south and the other in the north, were instrumental in bringing about this upheaval. These were Ekāntada Ramayya of the Ablür inscriptions and Basavēsvara, the founder of the Viragaiva faith. The Kalachuri usurper Bijjala II came into contact with both, incidentally with the former as narrated in the Ablur inscription E, and directly, with long association ending in bitter antagonism, with the latter. In consequence of the zealous activities of the leaders of this Saiva revival, Jainism, Buddhism, Pāśupata and other faiths prevailing in the land, received a staggering blow. A study of Harihara's Basavarājadēvara Ragale reveals that the genesis of the conflict between Bijjala and Basavēśvara was not in the alleged circumstance of the former being either a follower or supporter of Jainism. It is gathered from this work, the testimony of which deserves to be reckoned as authentic on account of its proximity to the scene of events, that
1 It is of interest to note in this connection & parallel instance from the neighbouring province. With the ascendency of Saivism the Jainas of the Tamil country were persecuted and the scenes of such persecutions are depicted in sculptures on the walls of the temple at Tiruvattur in the North Arcot District (An. Rep. on s. I. Epigraphy for 1923, p. 4). .
* Aggani is an epithet and it can be derived from Sanskrit agrant or arghyapaniya, both of which point to the respectable position held by Ponni or Honni Tande. Honni Tande literally means "Father Honni' or Honni's Father'.
* This work is of the nature of a Purana recounting the exploits of Ramayya in the legendary fashion. It is unpublished. Being popular, ita recitations are held on ceremonial occasions among the Viragaivas of these parts. While at Ablür I secured & manuscript copy of this work for study.
In the wake of Ramayya's victory conversions from Jainism to Saivism took place on a mass scale, scoording to the Abalūna-charitre and the local tradition. It is interesting to observe that miniature terracotta lingas were unearthed in a large number in the locality some years back. One such was shown to mo whilo ut Ablur. - Above, Vol. V, p. 264. • Ibid., Vol. XXVIII, p. 38. Ibid., Vol, V, p. 256.
