Jain Journal 2000 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 10

JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXXIV, No. 3 January 2000
to have situated inside the royal palace campus àt Mysore. The relics, which survived the fire, were no doubt removed from the original place. The palace records throw light on the fact that His Highness the Maharaja graciously made an allotment of a site for the purpose of erecting the new basadi. The present structure of Santiswara basadi at Mysore clearly reveals that the materials of the demolished basadi had been used to raise the new structure. 45 The consecration ceremony was held on the 30th August 1897. The palace honours were sent for the occasion.46
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The Jaina officials and scholars in the roval court. Santaiah and Dodda Santaiah
A brief historical survey brings to light the prevalence of the Jaina influence to a considerable extent in the Wodeyar's court. The competent members of the Jaina community had won the confidence of the rulers. They were employed as ministers and officials under various capacities. A few eminent scholars also enjoyed the patronage of the Wodeyars. Padmarasa in Bhujabali Charita and Devachandra in Rajavali Kathasara refer to Santaiah a Jaina minister of Raja Wodeyar. Devachandra credits him to have saved the life of the princess Mahadevi of Bettadapura, the mother of Raja Wodeyar.47 After the death of Santaiah Raja Wodeyar appointed his son Dodda Santaiah as minister. Dodda Santaiah is stated to have commanded a small troop to Sravanabelagola on the eve of the Mahamastakabhisheka ceremony to maintain the law and order at the holy center.48 But no further details about the minister are now available. Nevertheless, it is evident that Dodda Santaiah must have taken active part in the military ventures undertaken by Raja Wodeyar to assert his independent position over the kingdom of Mysore. The king is stated to have caused the construction of the präkāra around the basadi on the Kanakagiri, the family deity of Dodda Santaiah and made land grants on the occasion.49
Visalaksha Pandita
As mentioned earlier Visalaksha Pandita was the Prime minister of Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar. When the king was confined at Hangala 44a. Ibid.
45. Santidhara-Santiswara basadi centenary Commemoration, Volume. 46. Ibid.
47. Bujabali Charita.
48. Ibid.
49. Rajavali.