216 



Hindu Inscriptions, 



his horses laved their sides in the Krishna.* Uchchangi Darga is neat 

 Harponhully, to the Zemindar of which it latterly belonged, having 

 come to him by an intermarriage with the Chittrakal or Chiteldurg 

 chief. This then, being the northern boundary, it is evident that he 

 never established himself in the Southern Mahratta country, or Kunta- 

 ladesa.f But we have seen that an invasion of the country, by a Hoi- 

 sala king, took place in the last years of Vikram Chalukya II., u^hich 

 was repelled by his general, Achyagi Deva. As Vishnuverddhana must 

 have been a cotemporary of Vikram, it is probable that these expres- 

 sions w^ere occasioned by the expedition alluded tOj and it is not impro- 

 bable that he may have penetrated to the Krishna, before his progress 

 was checked. But it was his grandson, Vira Bellala, who obtained a 

 permanent footing north of the Tungabha:dra. After the usual grandi- 

 loquent boasts of " issuing his commands to Anga, Kalinga, Vanga, 

 Magadha, Chola, Malava, Pandya, Kerala, Gurjara," it is added, that 

 his general, or Chamupati, named Bomma, defeated the army of the 

 Kalabhurya Kshetri, commanded by Brahma Chamupatij capturing 

 sixty elephants. It is added, that " he destroyed the ship of the 

 southern country," and overcame " BallamDeva, and acquired supreme 

 power over the whole of Kuntala Desa.":t: 



He seems for some time to have fixed his residence at Lokigonda, 

 now Lakundi,§ nearDambal, where are some fine architectural remains, 

 and where the tradition of a battle having taken place between two 

 great kings still exists. This refers to one of the engagements between 

 Bellala and Ballam Deva, of Devagiri, in which the latter was de- 

 feated and driven back|| from Surtur to Lokigonda ; immediately 



* Ins. at Gadaga, No. 2, vol. ii.j p. Il5. 



+ la another place he is said to have *' conquered Kanchi and the Kangya des ; that 

 through fear of him the seven konkanas fled into the sea, and Virata n agara came out at 

 the sight of his army," According to local tradition, Hangal, on the Dherma river, is 

 called Virat nagara ; but in the inscriptions it is always denominated Panungal, P and H 

 being interchangeable in Kanarese. The remains of enormous fortifications, enclosing 

 a great extent, are still visible. I have got a plan, distinctly showing the circuit of seven 

 walls and ditches on the side not covered by the river. I made an excavation in a re- 

 markable tumulus, called Kuntawas, within the walls, but obtained nothing of iuteresto 

 Ins. at Harihara, No. 23, vol. ii., p. 147. 



t Ins. at Gadaga, No. 2, vol. ii., p. lis. 



\ Ins. No. 2, ibid, and No. 3, at Belgami, p. 118. 



11 Ins. at Anigiri, No. 11, p. 130. The description of this battle is very lively and 

 spirited : " Boasting of his elephants, his horses, his men, Ballam Nrapa exclaimed, ' Who 

 dares oppose me V Belal, mounting his single elephant, urged it onwards ; and tram- 

 pling down his army, pursued him, and slew him, chasing him from Surtur to Lokigon. 

 da, and exclaiming, ' Yelle,' (a contemptuous exclamation), ' I, who like Chaladanka 

 (the persevering or fierce) Rama, cutting off the Dasasur (Ravana), have used the Varala, 

 Lala, Kerala, Magadha, Andhra, Goula, Khasa, Gurjara, Anga, Kalinga Bhup atis, like 

 targets for my bow,— what difficulty have I in destroying you V '\ 



