Kotturu
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Kotturu
Town in the Kudligi taluk of Bellary District, Madras, situated in 14° 49' N. and 76° 14 E. Population (1901), 6,996. It is a centre of the Lingayats, who form a very large proportion of the population. It is sanctified in their eyes by the exploits of a guru of their sect, named Basappa Lingaswami, who lived, taught, and eventually died within it at' some date which is not accurately known. A long purana in Kanarese gives an account of him, but it is legendary rather than historical, and is of no value to the searcher after facts.
His tomb is in a large rectangular stone building on the eastern side of the town. It is enclosed all round with granite walls, parts of which are carved (the carving being sometimes coloured, which is unusual in these parts), and is supported by granite pillars, some of which are well sculptured. West of the main entrance stands an almost shapeless image, said to represent Cajalakshml, which when removed from its upright position and laid upon the ground is reputed to have great efficacy in difficult cases of child-birth. Basappa Lingaswami, or Kotra (Kotturu) Basappa as he is called locally, is worshipped in the big temple in the middle of the town, known as Kotra Basappa's temple.
Kotra and its allied forms Kotri, Kotravva, Kotrappa, &c., are still the most popular names in the town for boys, and girls are similarly called Kotramma, Kotri Basamma, &c. The shrine used apparently to be dedicated to Virabhadra, and it is said that the image of this god still stands behind the Lingayat emblem. The Lingayats among the poligdrs of Harpanahalli are said to have added to the temple, and one of them gave it a palanquin decorated with ivory, which is still preserved. Basappa, says the story, came to Kotturu when it was a stronghold of the Jains, vanquished them in controversy, converted them to the Lingayat faith, and set up a lingam in their principal temple. This temple is known as the Murukallumatha, or three- stone-math each side of each of its three shrines being built of three large blocks of stone. It is an unusually good specimen of an un- cloubtedly Jain temple, and has three separate shrines, facing re- spectively north, east, and south, and all opening on to a central chamber in which the image now stands. The only industry is the weaving of cotton cloths, most of which is in the hands of the Lingayats. But the place is a considerable centre of commerce, and its importance will doubtless receive a great impetus now that the railway from Hospet has been completed.
