Kannada university professor finds rare evidence on presence of the cult in Karnataka’s Raichur

A nearly 1,000-year-old rare stone inscription on Kapalikas, worshippers of Bhairava, a manifestation of Shiva, has been discovered in Raichur district by a professor of Kannada University, Hampi.

“This is the first time that we have an inscription that throws light on the presence of Kapalikas in South India, and in Karnataka in particular,” said Kalaveer Manvachar, head of the Department of Epigraphy.

Human sacrifice

Though there were references to Kapalikas, he says, in a few inscriptions found in northern India and Karnataka, there was no documentary evidence about their presence.

Kapalikas were a mysterious cult who may have practised human sacrifice and immolation.

The inscription, found above a cave atop a hilly area, two kilometres from Maliyabad village in Raichur district, is undated.

However, based on the nature of the script, which is in ancient Kannada, it is presumed to be from mid 1,000 AD. The inscription also refers to a ‘Kankala Gorava’ who had mastered Soma Siddantha or Kapalika Siddantha.

Lavish life

It states that though Soma Siddanthis led a lavish life, they had a cordial relationship with the rest of society. It also claims that taking a dip in the pond and having a darshan of the deity in the cave would relieve one of sins.

“The finding is significant especially because there is a lack of information about Kapalikas in any literature other than Sanskrit,” Prof. Manvachar says.

“We will now take up a detailed study to throw light on the presence of the Kapalika cult in various places, their culture, traditions, practices, their status in society, how they began to wane after the emergence of Veerashaivism,” he said.