Indian Antiquary Vol 59

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 201

SEPTEMBER, 1930 ]
TIIE PORTUGUESE FORT OF BARCELOR
183
that down to the above date the Portuguese and Goan priests coming from Goa had faithfully kept the traditional name of the place from the time when the Portuguese had their fort there. On the other hand, the new priests coming from Vera poly, not conversant with the old history of the locality, accepted the common name of Kundapur, which was the name of an old hamlet that finally became the headquarters of the Taluka.4 Consequently the old Portuguese fort of Barcelor was not to be identified with Basrur, but with Kundapur. The town of Basrur was therefore the Upper Barcalor, the Barcalor de sima of the old Portuguese map.
These conclusions being arrived at, one naturally had to investigate whether there were in Kundapur remains of the old Portuguese Fort. On making inquiries, I was told that there certainly was a fort, commonly known as Kotte-baghil. Its remains were to be seen very near the river that runs on its north side. It is almost square (130 ft. x 100 ft.). The north and east side of the fort is much more elevated, about 40 ft. high, while the west side will be about 20 ft. and the south side only 10 or, at the most, 15 ft. The property, with a bungalow in the centre, belongs to one Mr. A. P. Luis at present.
The site of the old Portuguese Fort of Barcelor was therefore found before visiting Basrur. On reaching that town, I found clear evidence that the Portuguese had never been in effective possession of it; and the evidence lay in the number and condition of its Hindu temples. The main temple seems to be the Mahalingesvara temple. The Mukteśvar of this temple has a copper édsana. In the prakara of the temple, when entering to the right, there are eighteen inscriptions in Hale-Kannada, one of them used as a slab to pave the floor. All have the linga on top. Several are worn out. On the road south of the temple, about 150 ff. away, there is another Saiva inscription in Hale-Kannada. About 100 ft. away from this inscription there is a big tank, called Samrakere, and a small tank, in the neighbourhood of which to the south there are two other inscriptions in Hale-Kannada. Both are Saiva. One of them seems to be very long, but is partly buried in the ground. It is nevertheless in a very good state of preservation, excepting the upper left corner. Going southwards about 50 ft. there is another large tank called Devukere.
On the south side of it there are three other Saiva inscriptions in Hale-Kannada. Two of them are partly buried. On the north-eastern corner of the same tank, there are two more inscriptions in Hale-Kannada. Both are Saiva, one of them is very long; the other is inscribed on both sides. To the north in a palm grove is another small inscription. A little further west, in the compound of a house, there is another long inscription. The slab was lying on the ground and the inscribed face was turned downwards.
About two furlongs away from Basrur, on the top of a hill south-east of the town, there is a ruined temple surrounded by a grove. The temple is called Guppi SaddAnanda, and is a small one. A verandah supported by pillars runs round it. These pillars are of stone beautifully carved. Some wooden pillars have been added in modern times. Inside the temple there is & recess containing a linga. In the premises of this temple there is another Saiva inscription in Hale-Kannada and a very big satikal, half buried. This satikal represents a woman with her right hand pointing as usual to heaven. A popular local story refers to this woman. In old days there was a rishi in this temple, named Saddananda, who demanded zuilk from a woman. This woman, instead of giving him milk, gave him poison. She was then cursed by the rishi and eventually converted into that stone. After this the rishi committed suicide by throwing himself into a well. In front of the steps leading to the temple there are the figures of three women, carved on one of the slabs paving the prakara, in an attitude of worship. It is said
Kundapur had never belonged to the Portuguese. The Hindu temples existing there and three inscriptions, one of the thirteenth and two of the fourteenth century, found in its neighbourhood are sufficient proof of this. Cf. Rangacharya, Topographical List, I, p. 851.
This story was narrated to us by a boy 16 years old, named Surap Shetty, who had heard it from his teachers. It seems that there are different versions of the story, for the rishi who is living in the temple at present related the 3ame story with some slight differences,