Jakkur's 1342 CE Honnamaranayaka Donation Inscription

Jakkur is a suburb in the northern part of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Located on the eastern side of the National Highway 44 between Yelahanka and Hebbal. Primarily a residential locality the area is also known for the Jakkur Aerodrome ,Jakkur lake, and Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research. Jakkur Aerodrome spread over 200 acres, opened in 1948 is now a pilot training school.

Jakkur is also a historic locality of Bengaluru as testified by the 4 inscriptions and, hero stones there. This article is about one of Jakkur's 14th century inscriptions.

From this inscription, we learn Jakkur is nearly 700 years old, however from one another inscription in Jakkur we learn it is at least as old as from the 9th -10th century. This inscription also informs us that Jakkur Lake, regarded as one of the biggest lakes of Bangalore, existed even seven centuries ago.

Discovery and shifting of the inscription
This inscription stone was first documented in 1905 by B. L. Rice in the Epigraphia Carnatica Vol 09 as being in a Makkarigaʼs field'. This inscription was rediscovered in the year 2017 by K R Narasimhan and Dhanpal Manchenahalli when they visited Jakkur in search of the inscription. At that time the inscription was lying abandoned and unrecognized in the backyard of a house. With the support of local people the inscription was subsequently shifted a nearby public playground at the K. V. Bhyre Gowda Kala Mandira.

Characteristics of Jakkur 1342 CE Inscription
This inscription is carved on a granite stone found locally. Most of the inscriptions found in Bengaluru are carved on similar granite stones. The stone is 143 cm high, 72 cm wide and 17 cm thick. The inscription is written on both the sides of the stone. The inscription consists of 22 lines, 14 on the front side of the stone and 8 on the back side of the inscription. The inscription's script and language, both are Kannada.

On the top of the inscription, there is a sign of Sun and Moon, and in between these signs, is a letter 'Z ' in the Brahmi Script standing for the Hindu auspicious word OM. Just as in this inscription, the 'OM' sign is also observed in other inscriptions of a similar period. The signs of sun and moon symbols indicate perpetuity meaning the contents of the inscription were valid for as long as the sun and moon exist.

Importance of the inscription
This inscription is evidence of the antiquity of Jakkur village, Jakkur lake, irrigation systems, ancient administrative divisions and the history of Jakkur. The inscription informs of economic and political condition 700 years ago in the Jakkur area. The inscription records that the Hoysala king Veera Ballala III, with Tiruvannamalai as his capital and was ruling then, and that Jakkur was a part of his kingdom.

Transliterated text of the inscription in modern Kannada and IAST
The inscription is a total of 22 lines''. '' with 14 lines in front and 8 on the back side of the stone.

Summary and the script of the inscription
The inscription records the donation of the agricultural tax revenue of Jakkuru village to Nadasenabhova Allala by Honamarayanayaka, son of Mahasamanta Chikkabayirayanayka and all Gavundas of Yelahakka Naadu. It is mentioned that the donation is for ever as long as the Sun and Moon exists. At the time the inscription stone was installed, Jakkuru village was under Hoysalas and its king Ballala was ruling from his capital Unnamale (today's Tiruvannamalai) town.

The language and script of the inscription are Kannada and the date of installation of the inscription was Thursday 06-Sep-1342CE.