History of Early Ganga Monarchy and Jainism

Author(s): Nagarajaiah Hampa
Publisher: Ankita Pustak

Page 55

12/Ganga Monarchy & Jainism
Immediate arrangements were made to procure the nonavailable text or get it copied. Well trained experts in the art of copying and preserving the manuscripts, and those who could read and recite, with proper commentary, were maintained by the maṭhas attached to the basadis.
4.1.1 The Gangas have built several celebrated basadis. Some of them are mentioned in inscriptions with different cognomen and synonym such as arhad ayatana [MAR 1938.C. C.E. 520], arhat mandira [EC. X (BLR) Mr. 72.C. C.E. 425], Caityalaya [ibid., CB. 29. C.E. 750], Cediya [1A. XI. P. 68. C. 560], Duggamāra koyil-vasadi [EC. III (R) Hg.63 (MAR 1932.58) 9th cent. p. 468], Jinageha [EC. VII (BLR) SK. 136. 1068], Jinanāthāvāsa [ibid, SK. 136], Tirtheśa-vasam [ibid.], Jinabhavana [EC. VIII-11 (1902). Sb. 233. 1138], Basadi [EC. 11 (R). 140 (415). 9th cent. p. 86], arhageha [EC. VIII (R) Ng. 26 (IV Ng 20). 1168]. I have recorded elsewhere a list of different synonyms used in inscriptions to denote Jain temples [Nagarajaiah, Hampa: 1997-C]. Charities made liberally by the Gangas to the Jaina monasteries are to be found in a good number of epigraphs. They renovated a good number of old basadis and built several new ones. Women of the Ganga seraglio never lagged behind in nurturing their religion; they built and endowed gifts free of taxes to a number of Jinālayas.
4.2 The Gangas, along with the Kadambas of Banavāsi [Gopal, B.R; CKI: No. 8. C.E. 458-59; ibid, pp. 9, 51, 93 and 108], are the earliest known dynasties to build Jaina temples in Karnataka. They first constructed the ayatanas of wood and mud [MAR 1923. 113. 10th cent. pp. 114-15; 1WG: 1984: No. 150:10C:p. 469]. Later they took to the use of bricks [Sharma, 1.K: Brick Temples of Western Gangas in the 'Srinidhi' - Perspectives in Indian Archaeology, Art and Culture: 1983:67-83]. Traces of brick temples are found at Aṛe-Tippūru [MD dt/ Mu tk), Noṇamangala, renamed as Jayamangala (Kl dt./Mr. tk),