Temples in Kadagodi

KASI VISVESVARA (RAJADHIRAJA

BHANGISVARAM UDAIYAR) TEMPLE

Kadagodi is a village in the Hoskote taluk of the Bangalore district in Karnataka State. There is a temple here, now called Kasi Visvesvara temple. Its original name was Rajadhiraja Bhan-gisvaram Udaiyar temple. According to an order inscribed on the basement of the temple (north-east part), ‘certain lands, including those that were being enjoyed as by the Bhangiya

family of Kalamangalam, were granted, with exemption from taxes, for the deity Rajadhiraja Bhangisvaram Wadiyar of Pat-tandur’, described as being in Sennai nadu in Vikramasola mandalam (See note on Vikramasola mandalam) (a.d. 1150?: Epi. Cam., Hoskote, 143). According to an inscription found in the upper portion of the northern wall (to the east), at about the same time, one Kulottungasola Sennai nattu Kularajar granted some lands for the temple {ibid., 145). Another inscription, also on the basement (to the north-east), tells us that certain devotees (among them one Semba Bhattar, son of Naga Bhattar) paid some money to meet the demands of the temple (a.d. 1151?: ibid., 143 a). Apparently, one of the Sivabrahmanas, one Damodara Samundan alias Mudikondasola Brahma marayan of the Bharadvaja gotra, was appointed to hold all the lands of the temple on trust, according to an inscription found on the upper part of the north wall (a.d. 1150?: ibid., 144).

This temple could be attributed to the Later Chola period, and must have been built after the Cholas regained this territory (in the days of Vikrama Chola) after a short spell of reoccupation by the Hoysalas. Could the Rajadhiraja in the name of the deity refer to the first Chola of that name? The temple might then have been renovated in the days of Rajaraja II.

Note: Vikramasola mandalam

Vikramasola mandalam was the name given to the geo-political unit known as Tadigaivali mentioned in Rajaraja Ps prasasti as among the regions conquered by him (like Tadigaipadi, Nolambapadi, Kudamalai nadu): some portions of the present-day Devanahalli and Hoskote taluks fell under this mandalam.

Mannai nadu seems to have covered a region falling in modern Dodda Ballapur and Nelamangala taluks. Epi. Cam., Vol. IX, No. 11 relating to the former taluk and No. 25 referring to the latter both speak of Mannai nadu of... nnappadi alias Vikramasola mandalam. Jayangondasola Vanakkovaraiyan was the commander-in-chief of the Chola army at Mandikerein die days of Kulottunga I (a.d. 1115) and Sattayan alias Virudaraja bhayankara Mannai nadalyan was the gamunda of Mannai nadu. We also learn, from Epi. Carn, Bangalore, IX, Nos. 75, 76 and 77a of Devanbath, that Sennai nadu was part of Vikramasola mandalam, otherwise called Tadigaivali, of which rmda, Rajendrasola Brahamamarayar was the Senapati during the dap of Rajadhiraja I, and Kuradi Vasa-vayya Virnan, the gamunda (29th and 33rd year records).