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Sidetale Hero Stone Discovered at Panchalingeshwara Temple
A Siditale hero stone has been discovered at Barakuru during an epigraphical survey of the Panchalingeshwara Temple. The discovery brings focus to Barakuru (Barkur) in Udupi district, Karnataka, noted in the report for its temple network and inscriptions.
Barakuru and Panchalingeshwara Temple:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Physiographic setting | Barakuru is situated on the banks of the river Sita, and is about 5 km east of the Arabian Sea Coast. |
| Alternative names | The place is called by several names in ancient times: Varakula, Barakanur, and Barahkanyapura. |
| Port-town chronology | The port town is a busy commercial centre almost from the 2nd century B.C. |
| Archaeological evidence | Evidence of Megalithic and Mesolithic ages has been discovered recently. |
| Trade linkage | The maritime port trades extensively with foreign nations across the wide Arabian Sea. |
| Alupa period status | The Alupa rulers convert this commercial centre into a political centre by making it their capital during the 10th-11th centuries A.D. |
| Later administrative status | The city becomes the provincial headquarters of the Hoysalas and then the Vijayanagara Empire. |
| Urban expansion | The city is expanded with a new fort during the period when it is under the Hoysalas and then the Vijayanagara Empire. |
| Other rulers mentioned | Barakur witnesses the rule of Keladi Nayaks, Haider, Tipu of Mysore, and the British. |
| Town structure | The city has ten extensions called Keris, each being named after its professional residents, and each Keri has a tank and a number of temples. |
| Temple architecture highlight | The town’s main attractions are the temples with typical tiled roofs. |
| Temple count and ritual | Barakuru once houses exactly 365 temples, and the Alupa kings strictly visit one unique temple each day of the entire calendar year. |
| Panchalingeshwara Temple | The Panchalingeshwara Temple is situated at the southern end of the town, and is the most famous among the temples here. |
| Religious settlement | Barkur is also a Jain settlement in the ancient days. |
| Inscriptions | The place yields a little over 100 stone and several copper plate inscriptions belonging to the Alupa, the Hoysala, the Vijayanagara, and the Keladi periods. |