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The Indian Analyst
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South Indian Inscriptions |
EPIGRAPHIA INDICA this chief earned the distinctive title Daṇḍinagōva meaning the protector of the army like the Cowherd God’. He is also referred to in the record by another title Nigaḷaṅka which is an abbreviation of Nigaḷaṅkamalla meaning ‘a warrior adorned with the chain of distinction’. The inscription further relates that this Barma-bhūpāla proceeded at the behest of his overlord and suzerain on a conquering expedition along the four quarters and acquired the tracts of Lōkāpura-Twelve, Hoḷalgunda-Thirty, Doḍḍavāḍa, Navilgunda- Forty and Koḷēnūru-Thirty, all of which came under his direct rule. The areas mentioned above as being governed by Barma-bhūpāla embrace parts of the present Bijapur, Belgaum and Dharwar Districts. An examination of the above details together with the provenance of the coins leads us to the conclusion that it was this Barma-bhūpāla who issued them under his distinguished title Daṇḍinagōva. The period in which Barma-bhūpāla lived was characterised by a state of uncertainty caused by the decline of imperial power, both the later Chālukyas of Kalyāṇa and their adversaries of the Kalachuri dynasty having virtually vanished from the political arena, making way for enterprising leaders like Bhillama of the Yādava family. It was under these circumstances that Barma-bhūpāla appears to have made a bold bid for territorial expansion and power and issued coins as an independent king. As for the remaining two coins of the group, they appear to be what are known as Padma Ṭaṅkas, generally associated with the rulers of the Kadamba family. One of them (No. 11) is identical with the coin published in Elliot’s Coins of Southern India, Plate II, No. 67. The other coin (No. 12) is of a similar pattern, though not identical in all respects. I am indebted to Shri Parameswari Lal Gupta, Numismatist, Prince of Wales Museum, who was kind enough to give me an opportunity for studying these interesting coins.[1] ____________________________________________ [1] Coin No. 2 could not be illustrated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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