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GANGAVADI.
109 south by Coimbatore and Salem. The Nagar and Shimoga inscriptions have legends to narrate in connection with the establishment of the Ganga kingdom. It would appear that Simhānandin 'met at Gangapērur in the Cuddapah district, two young boys Dadiga and Madhava, sons of one Padmanābha, of the race of Ikshvāku and ruler of the original kingdom from which, Gangavādi derived its name. Padmanābha was for some reason or other suddenly attacked by Mahipāla, the ruler of Ujjain. The two young princes, therefore, were sent away for safety to the South of India. On their way they met Simhānandin who, moved by pity on hearing the story of these Ganga princes, took them under his protection, instructed them in all arts and finally procured for them a kingdom. Of course, it was obtained by a miracle. Whatever might be the truth of the legend, there seems to be no doubt that the Ganga kingdom was established under Jain auspices.
This kingdom, according to Lewis Rice, lasted for more than seven centuries. The first king was Mādhava, called Kongani Varma. His date has been ascertajned from the Nāgamangala inscription and from the Tamil chronicle called Kongudēsa Rajākkal to fall in the second century A.D. Herewith is annexed a tables of the Ganga kings of Mysore, compiled entirely from the inscriptions and published by IN. R. 38. Sb. 10.
Mysore and Coorg from the .: Epigraphia Carnatica N. . Inscriptions, p. 49. See Appendix 110.
A., page 156.
