Jainism and Karnataka Culture

Author(s): S R Sharma
Publisher: Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar

Page 93

HISTORICAL SURVEY
61
According to Buchanan the name of this lady as well as that of her six sisters ( who were the only children of the last Wodeyar ) would appear to have been Bairadevi. The eldest of them, Dodda Bairadevi, he says, lived at Bhatkal. But all the aunts having died without issues, the daughter of the second Bairadevi (of Gersoppa) combined in herself all the sovereignty of Tuļuva, including Kārkala, Gersoppa, and Bhatkal.247 Sturrock, however, observes, “There is no trace of her ever having power in the southern parts of South Canara, and when she joined the Muhammadan league against the Portuguese between 1570 and 1580, her territories do not seem to have extended farther south than Bārkalūr or Basrūr.” The current tradition in the Mangalore and Kasargod taluks represents a Karkala branch of the family reigning until it was extirpated by Śiva ppa Naik.248
The Naiks of Ikkeri and Bednore, who were polygars under Vijayanagara, were Siva-bhaktars or devotees of Śiva. Their depredations proved fatal to Jainism in its last strong-hold in the Western districts now under consideration. About 1560 A.D. they obtained a grant of the government of Bārkūr and Mangalore as underlords of Sadasiva Rāya. “ It is probable,” says Sturrock," that the natural desire of the local Jain chief to secure their independence of the Vijayanagara power, was increased by their repugnance to be placed in subordination to a Lingayet, and the relation between the Jain chief and the Ikkeri family seems to have been hostile from the beginning".349 This resulted in the ultimate defeat of the Jainas, at first under Baira Devi at Bhatkal and later under the rulers of Mangalore and Barkūr, at the hands of Venkatappa Naik ( 1608 A. D.) and his successor Sivappa Naik ( 1649 A.D.). Under their onslaughts Baira Devi of Bhatkal was slain, and the Kärla appeared. Mangalore held out for some time,
347 Buchanan, Travels III, p. 165 248 Sturrock op. cit., p. 70 249 Ibid., p. 70