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JAINISM IN SOUTH INDIA takes the history of the place several oentaries back. It is stated that the temple was caused to be constructed by Durvinīta who may be identified with the Western Ganga king of the name who ruled in the 5th century a. D. The epigraph registers a gift of land to the temple by the preceptor Indrakīrti for imparting education. Indrakīrti belonged to the Dēsi gaņa of the Mūla Samgha and seems to have been an eminent scholar being respected even in the roy.al court. The inscription refers itself to the reign of Sõmēsvara I and bears the date A. D. 1055.
This inscription comprises an important land mark in the history of Kannada literature and deserves to be studied for its literary merit, particularly the portion relating to the prasasti of Indrakirti composed in the elegant Ragale metre. This prasasti constitutes an independent piece by itself and appears to have been inserted in the record by an admirer of the preceptor, who owned some skill in the art of poetic composition. Harihara (circa A. D. 1200) was the first great poet in Kannada who appropriated the Ragale metre successfully for his narrative compositions on an extensive scale and these are appreciated for their lucidity and easy flow. But here is an unknown poet, the author of the prasasti, who anticipated Harihara being anterior to him by a century and a half. The Jaina environment of the Ragale composition which is usually attributed to the Viraśaiva authors, also, deserves attention. Lastly, the name of the metre, as specifically mentioned in the epigraph, is Tomara Ragale, whereas the same is more familiarly known as Lalita Ragale to the students of Kannada literature,
After a gap of over two centuries we again obtain a glimpse of the state of Jainism in this place (i. e., Kõgali) from inscriptions engraved on the pillars of the same Basti (Jaina temple ) noticed previously. Both these records bear identical dates and refer themselves to the reign of the Hoysala king Rāmanātha. The epigraphs catalogue & series of grants made in the form of money for the daily ablution of the god Cheppa Pārsvanātha. The donors consist of several devotees including ladies, hailing from different regions and belonging to various classes of the society, such as looal officials and chiefs, civil and military funotionaries and prominent merchants. We may note with interest the following places associated with the names of the donors; Kollipāki (Hyderabad State), Hāniya, Koţțūr ( Bellury Dt.), Holagunde Sindavige (Sindagi, Bijapur Dt. ), Uchchangi (Mysore State), Lokundi (Lakkundi, Dharwar Dt.), Soye (modern Sögi, Bellary Dt.). The most significant fact to be noted is the reference to this place in
1 I have discussed in detail this topic along with others in my article entitled "Epigraphy
und Literature', published in the Kannada Sahitya Parishat Patrike, 1946, June
