Jinamanjari 1999 09 No 20

Author(s): Jinamanjari
Publisher: Canada Bramhi Jain Society Publication

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three poets in Karkala history, the poet Candrama known as Cadura Candrama, Cadura Candiah, and Candrama (who lived at Aliyur in Karkala taluk and has composed two works, the Lokaswarupa and Ganitavilas in Kannada. These are as yet unpublished). Cadura Candiah was the disciple of Carukirti Bhattaraka of Mudbidre. He has composed Jainacarya, Nandisvara Nompi Story, Trilokys Bhushana Caritre, Belli Beedina Caritre, Pane Mangalore Anantanatha Temple Renovation caritre.
The fall of Vijayanagara kingdom and the rise of Keladi Nayakas was not very conducive to the Bhairava kings. They became the feudatories of the Nayakas, who in 1763 C.E. were defeated by Haidarali of Srirangapatna. In the same year, Pandyaraja died in a battle thus ending the Bhairava dynasty. From 1763 to 1799 Srirangapatna ruled Karkala before it fell into the hands of British.
Spiritual Preceptor of Bhairava Kings
The Jain matha has played a very important role in defining the characteristics of Karkala citizenry. In the beginning Sri Lalitakirti Bhattaraka of Panasoge in Mysore district was their preceptor. He also headed the mathas at Vanganagara (Bangadi in Mangalore district) and Kalasa in Chikkamagalur district. Later in 1504 C.E. Bhairavadeva asked the Bhattaraka to establish the matha at Karkala itself. This happened due to the fact that the Bhattaraka of Mudbidre, who use to perform all things for the Bhairava kings, was not able to go to Karkala to perform festival of sowbagya nompi because the Cauta king of Mudbidre had arranged another festival on the same date. The king, upset by this, made a visiting Jain monk the Bhattaraka for the festival and thus the matha was established at Karkala.
The Bhattaraka of Karkala in the 17th century edited a dictionary in Kannada on Jaina Mahapurana and gifted it to the Bhattaraka of Mudbidre. The manuscript of this work still lies at Mudbidre matha. The author of Mahapurana dictionary was very well known for his support to literary people. He encouraged Nagacandra to compose the Vishapahara Stotra tika, and Yashakirti to compose Sandehadvanta Dipika in Sanskrit.
In Karkala there are a total of 15 basadis and a Gommata statue. In the enclosure of Gurubasadi a nisidi located in the west contains images of Neminaatha, Parsvanatha and Vardhamana Mahavira, and the names of the saints. In the upper line, the names found are:[I] Kumudacandra [ii] Hemacandra [iii] Carukirtipanditadeva [iv] Shrutamuni [v] Dharmabhushana [vi] Pujyapada. In the lower
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