The Kellas: A Profile

Summary

Prof. Nādoja Hampana reconstructs the history of the Kellas, a warrior lineage associated with Jainism. Owing to their diaspora the family adopted various prefixes, producing names such as Arakella, Ejakella, Kailikella, Kesugella and Mahākella. Early copper‑plate inscriptions from the sixth century CE describe Citraśena, a king of the Kaikeiya (Kaikeya) dynasty, as a Kella; he endowed a garden to Simha‑dvīpa and built a monastery. Epigraphs show that Kella chiefs commissioned Jinalayas (Jain temples) at Kyātanahalli during the ninth century under the Ganga king Rācamalla and that Kella settlements, later called Kellasbasaḍi, formed local pilgrimage centres. The family served as generals and governors under the Banavasi Kadambas and Gangas, later shifting allegiance to the Badami Calukyas. They were particularly influential in North and South Kanara, Tumkur, Shimoga and Mandya districts where they built temples dedicated to Tīrthaṅkaras such as Candraprabha. The article traces the origin of the name Kella. Some inscriptions describe the Kellas as belonging to the Kaikeya clan, while etymological analysis suggests the Kannada word kella derives from the Dravidian root ‘kel’ or ‘gel’ meaning ‘to accomplish’; thus a kella is ‘one who has succeeded’. Early records call them Ejakella; over time they assumed designations like Mahākella and Ejakella to denote achievements. Hampana argues that the Kellas were originally an accomplished Jain family whose members served as feudatories to rulers but maintained their identity. Epigraphs and hero‑stones (vīragallu) depict the Kellas as brave fighters. The Halimidi charter records that Vijayārasu, son of Sarakella alias Arakella I, fought valiantly against the Kekaya–Pallavas and later died a hero in battle. Another epigraph notes that Siyagella served both as general and governor under the Rāṣṭrakūṭas and Gaṅgas, while his descendants Māraga and Arakella II participated in battles at Egeyyuru and Sirivūru. These accounts describe Kella warriors as lion‑hearted champions (samaraika‑pārtha, ‘the Arjuna of the battle’) and crown jewels of feudal lords. The article concludes that their distribution across Karnataka and their roles as generals, governors and temple builders highlight the Kellas’ significance in medieval Jain history. Hampana calls for more systematic study of their lineage, as much of their story remains scattered in regional inscriptions.