Chävundaräya of Shravanabelagola
by K. L. Kamat
First Online: April 16,2000
Last Updated: October 06,2009

© K. L. Kamat

Although his installation of the mammoth monolithic statue of Bahubali is well known, the details of the life and times of Chavundaraya are not forthcoming. On an invited tour of the sacred premises of Indragiri that I photographed Tyagada Bramhadeva and while studying them with Dr. R. Sheshashastry (now at Vijayanagar University) that we discovered a beautiful panel depicting  a scene from the life of Chavundaraya. The panel is followed by a tenth century inscription (Epigraphia Carnatica II SB 388)  which gives an account of the battle that Chavundaraya fought against Nolabaraja.  The chieftain is shown as middle-aged and squatting in front of Nemichandra Siddhanta Chakravarti. Two chowrie-bearers are standing behind the minister, in his service. I think it is an extraordinary portrait of a man who left an extraordinary  contribution.