This place is situated near Kurikyal village,Gangadhara mandal in Karimnagar District of Modern Telangana state, India.
This place is about 18 kms from Karimnagar District headquarter in North West direction. The rock inscription underneath the Goddess Chakreshwari proclames the glory of Jainism and Adi kavi Pampa.
There is no approach road to reach the 200-mt high hillock. One has to sweat it out to climb up as there are no steps, an experience which will certainly be nightmarish. Tourists need to creep through the gaps of gigantic rocks, in order to have darshan of the Jain deities, which are carved out in 945 A.D.
This place contains natural caverns with some sculptures of Nirgantha Jinas and its subordinate goddess Chakreshwari. There are about 8 Jina figures in Kayotsarga posture on either side of Yakshi Chakreshwari. Goddess Chakreshwari is depicted as subordinate deity of first Savior Rishabha.
The Chalukya King of Vemulawada, Arikesari-II asks Pampa to write an epic to immortalize him. Pampa takes up the work with utmost earnestness. Within one year, he creates Kannada’s greatest epic ‘Vikramarjuna Vijaya aka ‘Pampa Bharatha. Arikesari-II is greatly pleased with the work of Pampa. He bestows him with an honorific ‘Kavithagunarnava’ and also gifts him with an agrahara called Dharmapura.
The hill Vrishabhadri is now called Bommalamma Gutta. Dharmapura, Madanavilasa and Tribhuvana Tilaka have vanished. Kavithagunarnava is unrecognizable. But the idols of Chakreswari, now being called Seethamma, and other Jain deities are still there. Below the idol of Chakreswari the rock inscription remains proudly proclaiming the glory of Pampa.
This place is about 18 kms from Karimnagar District headquarter in North West direction. The rock inscription underneath the Goddess Chakreshwari proclames the glory of Jainism and Adi kavi Pampa.
There is no approach road to reach the 200-mt high hillock. One has to sweat it out to climb up as there are no steps, an experience which will certainly be nightmarish. Tourists need to creep through the gaps of gigantic rocks, in order to have darshan of the Jain deities, which are carved out in 945 A.D.
Goddess Chakreshwari is depicted with eight arms containing different objects. Identification of Yakshi at this place was very tedious work because Eight Arms Chakreshwari is generally not depicted with eight hands but inscription underneath the Yakshi Image reveal the truth. Goddess Chakreshwari is depicted here with her vehicle Garuda. Two Kayotsarga Jina sculptures were carved just above the Yakshi Chakreshwari.The Teerthankara duo is canopied by triple umbrellas over the head. Yakshi chakreshwari is flanked by two whisk bearers on either side.
The chalukyas of Vemulvada patronized Sanskrit, Kannada and Telugu. Adi Kavi Pampa was court poet of Arikesari II.
Adi kavi pampa’s ancestors belonged to Kamme Brahman caste and devout to Jainism. His father’s name was Bhimappayya according to the inscription. They were hailed from angiparru in Vengi Nadu. Pampa who also renowned as Adikavi composed Vikramarjuna Vijayam and Somdevasuri composed Yasatilaka champu.
Pampa had a younger brother named Jinavallabha. He installs the idols of Chakreshwari and other Jain deities on a hill called Vrishabhadri, north of Dharmpura. He builds a Basadi named Tribhuvana Tilaka and also creates a garden called Madanavilasa. At the bottom of the hill he constructs a lake and names it ‘Kavithagunarnava’ as a tribute to his brother. Finally he inscribes all what he has done on a rock below the idol of Chakreshwari.
This inscription is of utmost importance to Kannada and Telugu languages. It is written in three languages viz Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit. The Kannada portion contains invaluable information about Pampa. The Telugu portion is the oldest Telugu Kanda Padya. They are one of the important historical evidences, submitted to the Centre, for securing classic language status to Telugu.
Pampa had a younger brother named Jinavallabha. He installs the idols of Chakreshwari and other Jain deities on a hill called Vrishabhadri, north of Dharmpura. He builds a Basadi named Tribhuvana Tilaka and also creates a garden called Madanavilasa. At the bottom of the hill he constructs a lake and names it ‘Kavithagunarnava’ as a tribute to his brother. Finally he inscribes all what he has done on a rock below the idol of Chakreshwari.
This inscription is of utmost importance to Kannada and Telugu languages. It is written in three languages viz Kannada, Telugu and Sanskrit. The Kannada portion contains invaluable information about Pampa. The Telugu portion is the oldest Telugu Kanda Padya. They are one of the important historical evidences, submitted to the Centre, for securing classic language status to Telugu.
The hill Vrishabhadri is now called Bommalamma Gutta. Dharmapura, Madanavilasa and Tribhuvana Tilaka have vanished. Kavithagunarnava is unrecognizable. But the idols of Chakreswari, now being called Seethamma, and other Jain deities are still there. Below the idol of Chakreswari the rock inscription remains proudly proclaiming the glory of Pampa.
http://www.jainglory.com/research/bommalagutta
http://pvr59ksl.blogspot.com
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140926/nation-current-affairs/article/bommalagutta-cries-attention
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