Spread of Jainism in Telangana
SPREAD OF JAINISM
Like Buddhism, Jainism also rejects the authority of the Vedas.
Jainism was as old as the Vedas.
There was specific reference to Rishabhanatha and Arishtanemi in the Rigvedic mantras.
Vishnu Purana and Bhagavatha Purana also mention about Rishabhanatha.
All the Jain Thirthankars were kshatriyas.
Among the 24 Thirthankars mentioned in the Jain literature
only 2 of them were Historic Persons.
The other 22 were Mythological Persons.
The 23rd Thirthankar was “Parshvanatha” and
The 24th Thirthankar was “Vardhamana Mahaveera”.
Thirthankar means those “who build bridges to cross over the stream of life”.
Jainism was prevalent in Telangana even before the period of Vardhamana Mahaveera.
According to Pattavali, the traditional history of the Jainism, this religion entered Telangana region before Buddhism.
The Indian as well as foreign historians endorse this fact.
According to Pattavali, the 1st Thirthankar “Parsvanath” had 2 sons “Bharata” and “Bahubali”.
Jains maintains that Bharat derived its name after this Bharata.
The younger son Bahubali ruled the Nizamabad area with Pothan or Poudanyapur (Bodhan) as the capital.
The Sravanabelagola Inscription mentions that a huge Bahubali statue as high as a row of 525 upturned bows was installed near present day Bodhan.
But, people could not visit it as it was in a dense forest.
That is why another such statue was installed at Mount Sravanabelagola by “Chamundaraya”, Minister of Gangaraju Rachamallu.
He said that the statue which he installed at Sravanabelagola was smaller than the one at Bodhan.
The Kannada poets Pampa and Kurama Vyasa (970-990A.D) also mentioned about the Bodhan statue.
All this proves that Jainism entered into the Telangana region during the period of the 1st Thirthankar.
Then it was not called Jainism and the preachers were referred to as Niggranthas.
Bahubali is also called as Gomateswara.
Historical evidence says that Bodhan was an Ancient Jain Religious Centre.
Mahapadmananda conquered the south in the 4th century B.C.
Later Telangana continued as part of Mauryan empire.
Mahapadmananda and Maurya were followers of Jainism.
Telangana, Andhra, Karnataka and Kalinga came under the influence of Jainism.
Chandragupta - Bhadrabahu episode proves that Jainism was prevalent in Telangana from ancient times.
Chandragupta Maurya lived in Sravanabelagola in Karnataka for 12 years with his guru Bradrabahu and
died there through Sallekhaha (leaving the body through fasting).
Jainism spread rapidly in Andhra (including Telangana) and Karnataka due to Mauryan influence.
Bhadrabahu's desciple Godana carried on preaching Jainism after guru's demise.
But Jainism touched its bottom low during the period of Asoka who propagated Buddhism.
But Ashoka's grandson Samprati who became king revived Jainism,
who had the title Jaina Asoka.
He propagated Jainism in the south with his guru Suhasti's encouragement.
Inscriptions support the theory by 4th and 3rd century B.C. Jainism entered Telangana.
Kharavela (175 B.C), the king of Kalinga (Odisha) was a follower of Jainism.
His reign extended eastwards upto the basin of river Godavari.
Kharavela brought back the Jina idol from Magadha
which was carried there by Mahapadmananda after conquering Kalinga in 400 B.C.
Kharavela himself mentions this in his Hatigumpha inscription.
The Kalingas worshipped the 10th Tirthankar “Sheetalanatha”.
Bhadalipur or Bhadrapuri (Bhadrachalam in Khammam District) was the Thirthankar's birth place.
Bhadrachalam was part of Kalinga kingdom in that period.
All this proves that Jainism entered into Telangana not only from Karnataka but also from Kalinga.
By the turn of the 4th century B.C. the Jains began to worship the idols of Thirthankars.
Jain caves believed to be those of Srimukha
Jaina saw light during excavations at Kotilingala, Karimnagar district.
Bodhan,
Kolanupaka,
Janagaon,
Jinnaram,
Manukonda,
Munulagutta also yielded ruins of Jainism
which prove that Jainism flourished here.
There is the ancient and lonely Jain temple at Kolanupaka and a manpillar at Sthambhampally, Kotilingala.
The Jain works:
Avasyaka Sutra,
Kalpa Pradeepa, and
Avasyaka Churni decribe that Satavahana was a great Jain and his 52 minister’s built many Jain temples.
Jainism was at its high in Telangana during the rule of Rashtrakutas and their vassals the Chalukyas of Vemulawada.
The Vemulawada Chalukyas first made Bodhan and later Vemulawada as their capital and ruled the area for over 200 years.
Yuddhamalla -II and Arikesari-II among them patronized many Jain Scholars and Poets.
Arikesari patronized the first poet of Kannada literature Pampa.
Pampa's brother Jinavallabha was also a follower of jain.
He installed the statue of Chakreswari (Jain goddess) on the hill of Kurkyala, 20 kilometers away from Karimngar.
It flourished as Chakrateertha for a long time.
Inscriptions say that many more Jain temples existed here.
Yuddhamalla Jinaalayam at Sanigaram and
Subhidasu Jinaalayam at Vemulawada and
Arikeari Jinaalayam at Repaka were such Jain structures.
Jainism was at its high during the reign of Kalyni Chalukyas (1076-1127 A.D.)
Vikramaditya-VI gave away lands to Jain saints at:
Potla Cheruvu (Pathan Cheruvu),
Kolanupaka, Ujjili and
Vardhamanapur
The 1st kings of the Kakatiya dynasty also patronized Jainism.
They followed Digambar (without clothes) Jainism.
An instance of this is not far to seek.
Mylama, wife of Chetana, Minister of Prolaraju-II installed the deity of Padmavati (Kadalalayabasadi - consort of Parshvanatha) on the Hanumakonda hill.
Jains who faced persecution in Vengi Kingdom of Andhra region sought refuge at Hanumakonda.
The well-known Jain poet “Appayarya” belonged to this period.
He penned the poetical work “Pratishtasara”.
Anyway Jainism was not as popular as it was during the reign of Rudradeva.
The local histories (kaifiyats) yield this information.
These are 3 prominent sects in Jainism:
Digambar,
Swethambar and
Yapaniya.
Digambara (nudity) is a controversial issue in Jainism.
But in fact it is as old as Indian civilization.
Excavations at Harappa yielded Nude Male Statues.
Even Pasupati Mahayogi was also said to be a Digambara (nude person).
The Vaidic Rishis also were called to be covered by the 4 directions as clothes.
Dik + Ambar = Digambar (nude).
Aryans accepted the digambars.
But in later ages the Jain thirthankar “Parsvanath” accepted Swethambaras (clothing in white).
Vardhamana Mahaveer permitted his disciples to be clad in a Single Cloth (ekavastra).
Anyway, by the beginning of the 1st Century A.D. Jainism was divided into the “Swethambara” and “Digambara” sects.
It was not clear as to which caused the division in Jainism.
But Sthula Bhadracharya of Pataliputra was said to have organized a conference during 300 B.C. at which this religion was divided into Digambaras and Swethambaras.
This conference propounded the Siddhantha of Jainism.
After Bhadrabahu Acharyas left his mortmain body through Sallekhana in the south, his disciples migrated to the north.
They did not accept the Siddhanta of the conference about clothing of the followers of Jainism.
When Sthulabhadra's disciples accepted white clothing (Swethambara),
which was also opposed by disciples of Bhadrabahu.
By 83 A.D. the Jainism was divided into 2 sects.
Bhadrabahu desciples called their opponents as indisciplined “Arthaphalakas”.
Meanwhile Sivabhooti Acharya established the Nude (digambara) order of the Jains ascetics.
There is a story behind the origin of the nude order of the Jain ascetics.
The story runs as follows:
Sivabhooti was a courtier and
the king presents him with a cloth to wear
when the latter was in a fast (deeksha).
Sivabhooti likes it very much.
One day when Sivabhooti was away from his hermitage, his guru tears away the garment out of jealousy
Sivabhooti who comes to know of it, swears that he would remain nude thereafter.
This way digambara tradition of the Jains was born.
Of course it was a story circulated by the Swethambaras.
Meanwhile, there is a controversy about the birth of Vardhamana Mahaveer also between the 2 sects.
According to:
Acharanga,
Kalpasutra and
Bhagawathisutra of the Swethambaras,
Mahaveera was the son of 2 mothers.
His embryo takes shape in the womb of a brahmin woman “Devananda” but gets born of Trisala, a kshatriya woman.
God Indra effects this change.
Mahaveer was of spiritual bent of mind even from his child hood.
In deference to his parents wishes, he married Yasoda and leads conjugal life till he is at the age of 30.
Then he becomes an ascetic.
The digambaras do not believe the 2 mothers theory of Mahaveera.
They believe that Mahaveer was a celibate throughout his life, who became an ascetic in his 30.
The meeting point of the 2 sects of Jainism is both Swethambaras and Digambaras worship Thirthankars.
The Thirthankars are identified by the emblems attached to them.
Parsvanatha's emblem is snake.
Mahaveera's is lion and
Adinatha's is OX.
The Thirthankars worshipped by the Digambaras were nude statues
The statues worshipped by Swethambars were clad in beautiful clothes and jewels, which are usually in yoga mudra.
Swethambaras were further divided into:
Sthanakvasi (who oppose idolatry),
Theravada (who worship idols) and
Digambaras into:
Kashta Sangha,
Moola Sangha,
Mathura Sangha and
Gopya Sangha respectively.
There are certain similarities between the followers of Gopya Sangha and the Swethambaras.
Both the sects of Jainism flourished in Telangana.
Soon after the division of Jainism into Digambaras and Swethambaras
efforts were on to effect a compromise between the two.
The conference organized by Kharavela at Kumari hill was a continuation of this effort.
Two stories are in vogue about the origin of the Yapaniya sect.
According to one story, Kalasa Acharya of Kalyani city founded this sect.
But another story has it, that king Bhupal of Kharhad invited Jain monks to his court from Vallabhi on the request of his Queen Nrukula Devi.
As the Jain monks arrived at the court in white robes (Swethambaras), the queen expressed her displeasure.
Then they undressed themselves (Digambaras) and attended the court.
Thenceforward they were known as Yaapaniyas by following the traditions of the Swethambaras while remaining Digambaras.
Yaapaniyas were regarded with contempt by both the Swethambaras and the Digambaras and branded them Abhasa Jains (distoters of Jainism).
The Tamil-Sanskrit dictionary “Pancha Margotpatthi” also describes the Yaapaniyas as fasting on forbidden days and travel on days they should not.
Neetisara also speaks low of the Yaapaniyas.
In fact, the Yaapaniyas were free from superstitions.
They were broadminded and always tried to achieve balance between the Swethambaras and the Digambaras.
They adopted themselves according to the demands of times.
They had faith in the Dwadasangas like the Swethambaras.
They preached that house holders and women also could attain salvation.
The nude statues of women at Jain centres like Kambadur prove that there were women digambaras among the Yaapaniyas.
Yaapaniyas introduced:
Yakshini worship and
Tantrism (Esoteric Sciences) in Jainism,
Yakshini statues were found in Danavulapadu, Nedujnuru, Bayanampudi and Aryavartam.
The Inscriptions and Yantras (Mysterious Symbols and Letters on Plates) at Korukonda prove that Jains initiated themselves into Trantrism.
Among such Jains, Pratiharya of Nandigaccha was said to have possessed miraculous powers.
Yaapaniyas were famous in Telangana, Andhra and Karnataka only.
There were Yapaniya Centres at:
Konakonda,
Dharmavaram and
Rayadurg.
Though the kings Dhanada and Kharavela and the scholars Kondakunda and Simhanandi tried their best,
they could not popularize Jainism much as they desired during the 6th and 7th century A.D.
The kings and the preachers wanted to preserve the pristine purity of the religion.
They did not allow the people to worship even the Arhants (The Enlightened).
During the beginning of the 1st century A.D.
the Business Community:
Karmakara,
Shreshti and
Gahapatis were accustomed to life of pleasure.
Hence they could not welcome this austere religion.
They learned more towards Buddhism which preached Middle Path.
More over the Digambar Jain preachers were not a much welcome sight at the civilized society.
The preachers also sought refuge in forests and observed penance for individual salvation.
But they did not care for the salvation of the society as a whole.
The ruins of the statues of both Swethambara and Digambara sects of Jainism were widely found in the Telangana region.
The Jains constructed Temples and Quarters to their Preachers and Ascetics where ever they were in majority.
The Shaivaite literature mentions about 500 Quarters intended for Jain monks at Pathancheruvu (Potla cheruvu).
But the Jain structures were not as beautiful as the Buddhist ones.
Jainism was patronized till 12th century A.D. by the kings and their officials who gave large donations.
A sad fact is that the Jain structures were also destroyed as the Buddhist ones.
But it is heartening to note that most of the Jain temples were in Telangana region only.
Poudanyapur (Bodhan) played a key role in those days.
It was the capital city of the Andhra republics “Assaka” (Asmaka (or) Aswaka).
Historians say that Bahubali or Gomateswara was intimately associated with Bodhan.
During the reign of the Rashtrakuta kings the importance of Bodhan increased.
The Rashtrakuta king “Indravallabha” (Indra-III-913 A.D.-922A.D.) ruled with Bodhan as his capital city
according to the inscription by “Tribhuvanamalla Someswara” of 1050 A.D.
The Inscriptions of Vikramaditya-Vl mention about a Jain temple and Munichandra Siddhantadeva here.
Pampa Bharata mentions that Yuddhamalla-1, the ancestor of the Chalukyas of Vemulawada got his 500 Elephants bathed in oil here.
Kumara Vyasa, author of Karnataka Bharata Kathamanjari describes Bodhan as:
Viprapuri (Paradise for Brahmins) and
a rice bowl.
Bodhan was also seat of numerous Jain ruins.
Jain statues can be seen on the pillars of Deval mosque,
which proves that the mosque was once a Jain temple.
Vemulawada, the Taluq Head Quarters of Karimnagar district was ruled by Chalukyas, vassals of Rashtrakutas.
They ruled over this place for about 200 years from (750A.D-950A.D).
Chalukyas were ardent followers of Jainism.
They provided shelter to those Jains faced persecution elsewhere.
Poet Pampa, the author of “Kannada Mahabharata”,
a Jain who was humiliated in coastal Andhra region found refuge here.
Among the Vemulawada Chalukyan kings Baddega constructed Subhadama Jain Temple.
Pampa continued to pen his poet works in the court of the Chalukyan king Arikesari-II (930A D-955A.D).
Pampa's younger brother “Jinavallabha” constructed a Jain temple at nearby Dharmapuri.
Somadeva became the priest at the Subhadama Jain Temple during the reign of Arikesari-III.
The rule of the Chalukyas came to an end along with that of the Rashtrakutas.
The golden period of the Jainism also ended simultaneously.
Many Jain statues were found in Vemulawada, which speak volumes about the glory of Jainism there.
The statue of the Thirthankar “Parshvanatha” at Raja Rajeswara Temple,
Vemulawada gives rise to the doubt that this temple was once a Jain temple.
There are more than 10 statues of Thirthankars and Gomateswar in this village which speak about the Chalukyan quality of sculpture.
The beginning of the Kakatiya dynasty saw the glory of Jainism at Anmakonda (Hanumakonda).
The Jains of Vengi kingdom, unable to bear the oppression of Raja Raja Narendra migrated to Anmakonda.
Jainism flourished here till the end of the reign of Prolaya-II of the Kakatiya dynasty.
Mylama, Wife of the Minister Chetana of the king Prolaraju-II constructed a Jain Temple and Quarter for the Jain Ascetics (kadalalayabasadi).
the sanctum sanctorum of the temple was a Natural Cave Formation of the rock on which was placed a Vimaana
On the stones in the Quarters were chiseled the statues of Parshvanatha and Vardhamana Mahaveer
Even near Sambhu temple, at Chitahkhan Mandir and Medaraya Temple in the fort of Warangal one can find many ruins of the statues of Thirthankars.
The works Siddheswara Charitra etc. mentioned that Jains were subjected to various kinds of oppression during the reign of Ganapatideva.
But it is noteworthy that Appayarya wrote “Pratishtasara” (Jinendra Kalyana) at Anmakonda in 1319 A.D.
“Vinukonda Vallabharaya” of 15th century described a place in Orugallu (Warangal) as “Land of Baudha Vihara” in his book “Kreedabhiramam”.
Kreedabhiramam was a Translatory work of “Premabhiramam” which was written by “Ravinpati Tripurantaka”,
was a contemporary of Prataparudra-II (1296-1323 A.D.) of Kakatiya dynasty.
There were no evidences for the existence of Bauddha religion at that period of Tripurantaka,
but we can assume that he ill-used Jains as Buddhists.
Potla Cheruvu present day Pathan Cheru is situated 30 km northwest of Hyderabad city.
It played key role in the political and religious history of the South during the 12th century.
Tailapa who had over thrown the Rashtrakutas and restored the rule of the Chalukyas reigned with Potlakire as his capital.
(The Lithic Records of Hyderabad) the Basava Purana categorically maintain that the Chalukyan Emperor “Jayasimha-II” ruled with Potlakire as his capital.
A stone inscription found in Pathancheru also support this argument.
with conform to Basava- Purana of kannada, historians came to know that there are 500 Jain Basadis were built.
The ruins of the statues of Jain Thirthankars and statues of other Goddesses of Jainism are preserved in the Golkonda museum.
Ujjili or Ujjanti in Mahabubnagar was the Administrative Head Quarters of the Western Chalukyas.
The fort of Ujjili or Ujjanti was described in detail in the inscriptions found here.
The Thirthankar “Parsvanath” was the Presiding Deity in the Jain Temple here.
The Quarters here catered to the needs of the members of the Dravida Sangh and Army.
Another Inscription here says that Sri Mahamandaleswara Sri Vallabha Chola donated to meet the expenses of the rituals of the temple.
The other side of the inscription says that a scholar Indrasena also donated lands and gardens for the upkeep of the temple.
Puduru also is a Jain Pilgrim Centre in Mahabubnagar district.
Hallakarasa, an Employee in the Court of Vikramaditya-VI (1076A.D.-1126A.D.) donated hugely to the Pallavan Jain Temple here.
Many statues of Parsvanath were found here.
The conflicts between the Jains and the Shaivaites and construction of Siva temples in place of the Jain worship places were mentioned in detail in an inscription.
Vardhamanapur in Mahabubnagar District was the capital city of the Kanduru Chodas.
The name of the capital “Vardhamana” suggests that it was a Jain city.
The Kanduru Choda kings ruled:
Nalgonda,
Mahabubnagar and
Khammam district areas for over 250 years (1050A.D.-1300A.D.) as vassals of the Kalyani Chalukyas.
These kings were ardent followers of Jainism.
Sirikonda,
Alwanpalli,
Panagallu and
Bhuvanagiri also were famous for Jain temples.
The village Sirikonda yielded many Jain statues including Goddess Kooshmandini.
Udayana Choda was the ruler of Panagal when Mallikarjuna Panditaradhya visited the kingdom during his Shaivaite victory tour
in which he defeated the Jain scholars in academic arguments.
A story has it that he cursed the king and his kingdom.
Soon after Kakati Rudra Deva invaded Panagal and conquered it.
The Kakati Rudra divided the rulers of Vardhamanapur as Low Level Kshatriyas in his Anmakonda Inscription.
An inscription at the seat of Parshvanatha at the entrance of the Ellora Cave (1234A.D. 35A.D.)
mentions of a member of Chakreswara Family of Vardhamanapur.
Kolanupaka or Kollipaka 10 kilometres away from Alair Railway Station also a famous Jain Pilgrim Centre.
It must have been the Administrative Quarters of the Kalyani Chalukyas.
Kumara Tailapa 1st constructed a Jain temple here.
Gradually it became the centre of many Jain Temples and Quarters for ascetics.
Kolanupaka was later destroyed completely in the Chola-Chalukya conflict.
The Chola king “Rajadhiraja” (1045A.D.) proudly declared that he destroyed Kolanupaka.
Yet Jainism did not die here completely.
Kumara Someswara's donation to Jain residential quarters in 1110 A.D. is an example of this.
Even an inscription (1276A.D. at Kogali Tirtha, Bellary district,) mentions about some Jain devotees of Kolanupaka.
Now there are 18 Shaivaite Ascetic Quarters (Mathas).
There are Poorna Kalashas instead of Dwarapalakas at the entrance of the Mathas.
More over statue of Yakshini was found with Vajra, Pasa and Fruit in each of the four hands and Kati Hasta as the four one.
Since this is the typical characteristic of the Digambara Yakshini Padmavati,
Archaeologists opine that these Mathas were Jain Premises earlier.
Presently the Jains have constructed a Temple here and worship of the Thirthankars would go on.
Though all religions are equal from the common man's view point,
it was sad that horrible conflicts of religions had taken place in the middle ages.
Jainism suffered the worst in the conflicts.
The Jain Temples and Quarters of the Ascetics were destroyed as a result of this.
When Sankaracharya and Kumarila Bhattu and their followers challenged the Jain and Buddhist scholars for arguments on their respective faith,
they could not offer tough resistance academically.
They had to acknowledge the supremacy of the Vedic religion.
In the South Shaivism and Veera (Militant) Shaivism destroyed Jainism.
The Kannada Poets Pampa and Ponnala had to seek shelter in Telangana as Veera Shaivism dominated Kannada lands.
Poet Pampa's father Bheemanna was a follower of Jainism.
Hence he had to leave Vangiparru and seek refuge in the Telangana region.
The brahmins accused that Jainism sheltered those who were badly and lost everything worthy in life.
Jainism faced tough challenge from Shaivism.
The Shaivaite scholars Sripathi Pandita, Sivalenka Manchana and the like made every possible effort to make the Shaivism dominant religion.
The Veera Saiva Movement started by “Basaveswara” in Karnataka spread to Telangana and Andhra regions also.
Veer Saiva condemned casteism and preached equality of all.
It preached that there is only one caste and that was the caste of the devotees of Lord Siva.
Mallikarjuna Panditaradhya and his followers also condemned the caste based structure of the society.
People who were oppressed under casteism, found a new life in Shaivism.
They distanced themselves from Jainism which was compromising with casteism.
The Shaivaite literature and the local histories speak a lot about the conflicts between the Shaivaites and Jains during the 12th and 13th centuries.
The poetical work Panditaradhya Charitra describes in detail about the conflict between these two sects.
It says that the Jain scholars who lost the argument on their faith should either accept Saiva Dharma or be prepared for Annihilation.
There was no 3rd choice.
Devara Danayya, a devotee of Siva destroyed 500 Jain Quarters in Potla Cheruvu (Pathan Cheruvu) and constructed Uttareswara (Siva) Temple in their place.
The ruins of Jainism especially statues can be found in and around Pathancheru even today.
One Govuru Brahmaiah destroyed Jain Quarters in Govuru.
Adipa Rachaiah in Vergi (coastal Andhra) and
Kalachuri Senapatis in (western Andhra) and
Karnataka led the destruction of Jain structures and the killing of Jain Saints.
Among them “Veeragoggy Devasenani” assumed the tittles of:
Jainaga,
Madhumaketu,
Jaina Kutara and
Jaina Phani Vainateya, which mean a terror to Jains.
Many Jain scholar saints were put to death at:
Parimalige,
Urukallu and
Alampur etc.
Present day Alampur might have been the Jain centre Anampur.
The people of Panagal who were Jains tasted the fire of Mallikarjuna Panditaradhya.
Among the Kakatiya kings:
Kakati Rudra,
Ganapatideva and
Prataparudra were said to have tortured Jains.
Tikkana Somayaji who adorned the court of Ganapatideva defeated Jain Scholar Saints in arguments on their faith.
Then the vanquished were tortured according to “Sarveswara Charitra” written by “Kase Sarvappa”.
An interesting sculpture was found at Puduru.
The sculpture was in 3 parts.
In the 1st Part there was the Statue of Jain, being fanned by 2 maids and the statue of Siva on the platform.
The 2nd Part consists of a Battle Scene.
The 3rd Part shows a Falling Soldier and a Dead Body.
An inscription on it says “Eswara Pratishta” (Installation of Lord Siva).
Thus this sculpture suggests the conflict of Shaivism and Jainism and the domination of the former over the latter.
In line of this, the Commander of Ganapatideva “Jagadala Senani” invaded Puduru and converted the Jain Centre into a Shaivaite one.
Efforts were made to prove that the religious persecution of the Jains was not true.
Even if some stray incidents of persecution had taken place, there was no role of the rulers in it.
But the countless ruins of the Jain statues beings excavated and writings in Shaivaite Literature
which tell that Siva Temples were built on Jain Monuments speak the truth.
Even if there was no direct role of the ruler in the persecution of a sect, the silence of a ruler in this matter is condemnable.
If people of one sect are oppressed by another, the ruler should intervene immediately and restore law and order.
But such was not the case.
The Pallavan king “Trilochana Pallava” was said to have converted Jain temples into Siva Shrines and
encouraged large scale migration of the North Indian Brahmin Priests into the South and appointed them as Purohits in the temples.
But this statement of the local histories is much to be doubted.
“Trilochana Pallava” belonged to the 5th century A.D. and
the Jain and Shaivaite conflicts took place in the 12th and 13th century A.D.
Hence the local histories written in the 16th century might have attributed the developments of the Kakatiya Ruler Ganapatideva to Trilochana Pallava of the 5th century A.D.
The head of Golaki math and the guru of Kakatiya ruler Ganapatideva Sivadeva invited dravida and gouda brahmins of different clans (Gotras).
The Malkapur Inscription supports this argument.
Moreover, Ganapatideva was not a follower of Veer Saiva cult.
He belonged to Golagi math cult which tries to strike a balance between Shaivism and Vaishnavism.
His court poet Tikkana Somayaji also belonged to this cult.
Hence, it is safe to conclude that Ganapatideva was non-committal in religious conflicts.,
The Chola-Chalukya conflict destroyed Jainism in Telangana.
Rajendra Chola in 1007 A.D. and later Rajadhi Raja invaded Kolanupaka and destroyed the Jain culture there.
They destroyed the Jain structures at Belagola and other places in Karnataka.
Some historians argue that these destructions were routine.
They say that a conqueror was bound to destroy the culture of the vanquished.
But, many historians deduce that Alwars and Nayanars encouraged the kings in Tamil country to persecute the Jains;
the Jains then migrated to Telangana and Karnataka for political asylum.
As the Jains were sympathizers of the Chalukyan kings the Cholas and their followers wanted to teach the Jains a lesson,
which resulted in persecuting the Jains.
The Jains suffered bad days with the defeat of the western chalukyas.
With their defeat, the Kakatiyas, vassals of the Chalukyas united all the Telugu people and established their own kingdom.
The earlier kings of the Kakatiya Dynasty were ardent lovers of Jainism.
They utilized this religion for their social elevation.
But from the period Prolaraju-II, the Kakatiyas began to assert their independence from the Chalukyas.
Hence it became a necessity for them to control the Jains who had a soft corner for the Chalukyas,
Meanwhile the rise of Veera Saiva in Telangana and Andhra and
the sects attacks on Jain structures was a political necessity for the Kakatiyas.
Hence with a matured political mindset they might have remained non-committal in the conflicts of Shaivaites and Jains.
As noted earlier, Mallikarjuna Panditaradhya cursed the Chandolu kingdom which supports Buddhism and
Vardhamanapur and Panagal which backed Jainism that the 3 kingdoms would be reduced to rubble.
Later these kingdoms were invaded by the Kakatiya Rudradeva.
The Hunumakonda Inscription describes that Kakatiya Rudradeva destroyed the kingdoms ruled by “Kshudra Kshatriyas” (Warrior Class of Low Level) as Valiant Anjaneya destroyed Lanka.
Even during the time of Ganapatideva, the Kakatiya Kingdom was surrounded by enemies.
So became a political necessity for them to control the Jains who were sympathizers of the Chalukyas.
Even after the end of the period of the Kakatiya Dynasty, Jainism existed in some parts of Telangana.
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