Ancient Jain inscription found

Historians have unearthed an unpublished Jain inscription belonging to the medieval period from a Jain Basadi in Kalasa of Chikkamagaluru district.

Prof T Murugeshi, associate professor of ancient history and archaeology at Mulki Sundar Ram Shetty (MSRS) College, Shirva, Udupi, said in a release that the unpublished Jain inscription recovered was in Kannada script and language.

Researchers found the script beside the Chandranatha Tirthankara idol that is about six inches.

It is a ten-line inscription, Murugeshi said.

The inscription reads 'Angirasa Savatsara Aashada Sudha Dasami Murara vivaradalu,' indicating that it was written on July 2, 1512 AD.

On the specified date, Devachandra Deva, a Jain teacher of Panasoge bali, a small village in KR Nagara in Mysuru installed the idol.

Panasoge was a famous Jain centre in 11th and 12th centuries.

Devachandra hailed from the district and was the disciple of Lalita Keerti, a Jain teacher of the region.

It is learnt that in the 11th century, there were around 60 Jain temples in Panasoge and Lalita Keerti was a prominent teacher.

At present, only one Jain temple exists in the area, Murugeshi said.

The inscription may be small in nature, but has significance, he said.

It indirectly indicates the Shaiva and Jain conflicts in Mysuru region.

Due to the religious conflict, Jains migrated to the Malnad region and moved towards the coast, Murugeshi said.