CHAMARAJANAGAR:
In a significant archaeological find, 10th-century inscriptions and heroic stones (Veeragallu) have been discovered in Yanagumba village of the taluk, shedding light on early agrarian life and community values, including the protection of cattle.
Seven inscriptions—two in Tamil and five in Kannada—were unearthed on and around the farmland of Manjunath, a resident of Yanagumba. The Kannada inscriptions refer to the village as Yaramagumba, while the Tamil texts mention it as Yaramaigumba. Nearby Melur is called Molur in the inscriptions, which also suggest that buffalo farming was widely practiced in the region during that period.
Dr. Anil Kumar, an expert in Kannada epigraphy from the Archaeological Survey of India, stated that one inscription records a land donation. Another heroic stone honors a man named Kala of Yaramagumba, who died fighting Kesanna while trying to protect cows from theft. A Tamil inscription mentions a hero named Kolan, son of the sage Kandachari. Another contains a royal emblem with an umbrella and horses, though it remains partially illegible and will require further study. Dr. Balamurugan is leading the Tamil script analysis, assisted by researchers Nagendra and Gaurav.
Farmer Manjunath reported that the inscriptions came to light during routine agricultural work. “We also discovered a small, fenced-off Shiva temple buried on the land. When we cleared it, we found the land donation inscription,” he said, urging officials to conduct further studies and protect the historic site.
These Turugol edicts, as they are called, often mention cattle-related conflicts, including thefts and heroic battles to protect livestock, highlighting the socio-economic and spiritual importance of cows and buffaloes in early agrarian societies.