Discovering a heritage of devotion

The discovery of Garuda-Nandi pillars in Davanagere and Haveri tells a story of coexistence among devotees, writes Nrupathunga S K.

In December 2024, for the first time, the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage discovered around four Garuda-Nandi pillars featuring an inscription in Davanagere and Haveri districts, dating back to AD 1249. The pillars measure around 333 cm in length and 66 cm in width.

Pillars featuring Garuda and Nandi separately have been unearthed before, but the two deities had not been found on a single pillar before in Karnataka. The discovery provides evidence that there were devotees of Hara and Hari (Shiva and Vishnu) in this part of the state in the past.

An idol of Hari-Hara had previously been discovered in Gokarna of Uttara Kannada district. It has been preserved in Mysuru.

Of the new discoveries, the pillar found at Bilasanur village of Harihar taluk in Davangere district has an inscription. The remaining three pillars were found at Nadiharalahalli, Koda and Guddadahosahalli in Haveri district. They do not have any inscriptions.

According to the department, the pillar with the inscription was found in the middle of Bilasanur village. Locals worship the pillar even today. Another pillar was found on the premises of the Shiva temple at Guddadahosahalli. The third one was found on the roadside at Koda village, in an open space without a compound, and the fourth one was found in the middle of Nadiharalalli. Villagers perform puja before these pillars on a daily basis.

New findings

Speaking to DH, Shejeshwar R, director, Archaeology, Museums and Heritage Department of Vijayanagar district, says that the pillars were found during a field survey conducted recently.

Garuda and Nandi being found on these pillars is significant, as this highlights the coexistence of Vaishnavism and Shaivism within a community and among devotees, he adds. In Hinduism, Garuda serves as the vehicle of Vishnu, and Nandi, of Shiva.

The famous Hari-Hareshwara temple is also found in Harihar. It was built during the reign of the Hoysala dynasty. However, there are no pillars of Garuda and Nandi on the premises of the temple. The temple was built in 1223–24 CE by Polalva, a commander and minister of the Hoysala empire's King Vira Narasimha II. In 1268 CE, Soma, a commander of King Narasimha III of the same dynasty made some additions. 

The temple houses the deity Harihara. The image of the deity is a fusion of the right vertical half of Shiva and the left vertical half of Vishnu. 

History inscribed

Shejeshwar explains that the inscription found in the pillar notes that Bilasanur and Harihar were donated when Kada Bhoopa was the commander and Krishna was the king of the Sevuna Dynasty in AD 1247. The revenue generated from these two places, along with farm produce grown by villagers, was given to the temple. The shanuboga (revenue official) used to supervise these donations.

Three hymns in Sanskrit have been carved on the inscription. The first one mentions Hari Hareshwara and Ganapathi, and the second one describes the Varaha avatar of Vishnu. The details of the Yadavas of Devagiri, also known as the Sevunas, are featured in it. The inscription explains that Krishna was the ruler of Sevuna Dynasty, and he had governed the region between AD 1247 and 1261.

On the importance of these pillars, Davanagere University history faculty, Venkat Rao M Palati, says, “They indicate that the then rulers of the region may have given equal importance to  Vaishnavism and Shaivism. The region had people who were ardent devotees of Vishnu and Shiva, and there was a harmonious relationship between them.”

He adds that a large number of followers of Shaivism might have migrated from the northern part of Karnataka to this part of the state towards the end of the 12th century.