Bellary

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)
Bellary district map
Map of Karnataka

Bellary (बेल्लारी), officially Ballari, in the eponymous Bellari district, is a city and district in the state of Karnataka, India.

Variants

Location

It is 311 km from the state capital of Bangaluru and 358 km from Hyderabad.

History

Historical names of the Ballari area are - 1. Kuntala Desha, 2. Sindavadi, 3. Nolambavadi.

1. Kuntala Desha: Ballari was once part of an area also known as Kuntala Desha [1] [2] or Kuntala Vishaya (Vishaya – a territorial division or district of a kingdom). Many inscriptions refer to the Western Chalukyas as rulers of Kuntala or Kondala.[3][4]

2. Sindavadi: An inscription during the Gangas of Talakadu speaks of a certain Sindha Vishaya, which consists parts or whole of today's Ballari, Haveri, Gadag, Dharawada, Koppala and Bagalakote districts.[5] Many inscriptions by Yadavas[6] and Kalyani Chalukyas[7] refer to this areas as Sindavadi or Sindavadi-nadu (Sindavadi-1000).

3. Nolambavadi: During the rule of Western Chalukyas, the area around Bellary was part of Nolambavadi (referred to as Nolambavadi-32000), which included parts of the present Shivamogga, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Ballari and Anantapuram Districts.[8] Further, some inscriptions mention that Nolambavadi-nadu was a part of Kuntaladesha [9]

Ancient History

300 BCE – 1336 AD: Bellary was ruled in succession by the Mauryas, Satavahanas, the Pallavas, the Kadambas, the Badami Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, the Kalyani Chalukyas, the Southern Kalachuryas, the Sevuna Yadavas, and the Hoysalas.

The Bellary area was also ruled briefly by the Cholas during the wars between Kalyani Chalukyas and the Cholas (often involving Vengi Chalukyas), the region constantly changing hands under turmoil.

A dynasty called Ballariya Naredu ruled Bellary under the Hoysalas.[10]

9th century AD and 1000–1250 AD: A branch of the Pallava family called the Nolamba-Pallavas ruled Nolambavadi-32000.[11]

Later in the 11th century AD, they ruled parts of Nolambavadi under Western Chalukyas and Hoysalas.[12]

1100–1188 AD: Feudatories of Kalyani Chalukyas, Kalachuryas and Hoysalas, calling themselves Pandyas (Nolambavadi Pandyas), ruled parts of Nolambavadi-32000. They were actively involved in the conflicts amongst their overlords.[13]

Bellary Fort

The Bellary Fort ("Bellary Kote") was built on top of a hill called the "Ballari Gudda" or the Fort Hill. It is situated in the historic city of Bellary, in the Bellary district, in Karnataka state, India. It was built in two parts namely, the Upper Fort and the Lower Fort. The Upper Fort was built by Hanumappa Nayaka, a feudatory of Vijayanagara Empire, but the Lower Fort was built by Hyder Ali in later part of the 18th century.[14]

A French engineer was the architect and builder of the Lower Fort. He refurbished the Upper Fort also. After the forts were completed, Haider Ali found that the forts built were at a lower elevation vis-a-vis an opposite hill called the 'Kumbara Gudda', thus putting the new forts militarily at a strategic disadvantage. As a result, Haider Ali was annoyed with this lapse and it is said that he ordered hanging of the French engineer at the east gate of the fort. The French engineer's grave, dated 1769 (inscribed as unknown French Engineer), is located at the east gate of the fort and has been preserved due to efforts of local Muslims who also claim that it was the tomb that belonged to a Muslim saint.[15]

The forts have fine ramparts with a rich history with several historical and religious monuments. A citadel was in the upper fort with several ancient tanks while the lower fort on the east housed the arsenal.[16]

Legends

There are several legends attributed to Bellary, the city where the fort is located.

A mythological legend states that the city is named after Indra, the king of gods, who destroyed the Rakshasa (demon) ‘‘Balla’’ who resided in the area.[17]

Another ancient legend links this place to some events in the epic Ramayana. It is said that Rama while searching for Sita met Sugreeva and Hanuman at a place near Hampi, 30 kilometre, from Bellary, the celebrated capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.[18]

The historically linked legend states that Bellary is the name derived from the old Kannada word “Vallari” and “Vallapuri”. An inscription from the time of the rule of Ganga Dynasty of Talakad, testifies to the territory of Sindha Vishaya, which today consists of Bellary and Dharwad districts. In the Hoysala period, the dynasty of "Bellariya Naredu" had sovereignty over Bellary when it was known as Kuntala Desha, though it subsequently came to be known by the name ‘Vallari-Vallapuri’.[19]

वल्लारी

वल्लारी (AS, p.836) - बिलारी का प्राचीन नाम जो संभवत: बलिहारी का रूपांतर है. [20]

बिलारी

विजयेन्द्र कुमार माथुर[21] ने लेख किया है .....बिलारी (AS, p.631) मद्रास (वर्तमान चेन्नई) में स्थित है। इसका प्राचीन नाम 'बल्लारी' या 'बलिहारी' कहा जाता है। एक प्राचीन दुर्ग भी यहाँ स्थित है।

वाल्मीकि रामायण में वर्णित वानरों की प्रसिद्ध राजधानी किष्किन्धा, बिलारी से 60 मील (लगभग 96 कि.मी.) की दूरी पर स्थित थी।[22]

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Sloth Bear Foundation".
  2. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Vol VI – Inscriptions of Kulottunga-Chola I".
  3. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Addenda, II-Inscriptions at Vijyanagara".
  4. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Tanjavur Brihadhiswara Temple Inscriptions"
  5. ↑ "Sloth Bear Foundation".
  6. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions in Kannada, Vol IX – Part – I, Yadavas".
  7. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions, Vol IX – Part – I, Chalukyas of Kalyani".
  8. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Vol III, Bombay Karnataka Inscriptions, Geographical Divisions".
  9. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions in Kannada, Vol IX – Part – I, Yadavas".
  10. ↑ "Sloth Bear Foundation".
  11. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions in Kannada, Vol IX – Part – I, Nolamba Pallavas".
  12. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions, Vol IX – Part – I, Chalukyas of Kalyani".
  13. ↑ "South Indian Inscriptions, Miscellaneous inscriptions, Vol IX – Part – I, Chalukyas of Kalyani".
  14. ↑ Cotton, James Sutherland (1908–1931) [vol. 1, 1909]. The Imperial Gazetteer of India. 7. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 158–176.
  15. ↑ Cotton, James Sutherland (1908–1931) [vol. 1, 1909]. The Imperial Gazetteer of India. 7. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 158–176.
  16. ↑ "View of the N. and E. faces of the citadel at Bellary; Hindus worshipping at a shrine in the foreground". On Line Gallery of British Library
  17. ↑ "Sloth Bear Foundation"
  18. ↑ "Bellary District – A Profile". National Informatics Centre.
  19. ↑ "Sloth Bear Foundation".
  20. ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.836
  21. ↑ Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.631
  22. ↑ भारतकोश-बिलारी
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