Jagdcherla Jain Inscription from Andhra Pradesh
By Ghanta Jawaharlal
Summary
1. This article presents a 12th-century Jain inscription discovered near Jagdcherla in Mahbubnagar district, Andhra Pradesh. Written in old Kannada, the 42-line record praises Jain doctrine and mentions the construction of a Parshvanatha basadi (temple) at Gangapur by a merchant named Bammisetti of the Virabalanjiga community. The temple was established under the guidance of the Jain teacher Meghachandra Siddhantadeva of the Kaniur-gana and Meshapashana-gachchha, a branch of the Mulasangha. 2. The inscription misdates the event to Śaka 1047 (1125–26 CE), but historical cross-referencing suggests the correct date is 1132 CE, based on lunar eclipse evidence and royal chronology. 3. The article also reconstructs the lineage of Jain teachers, showing Meghachandra’s position in a long chain of preceptors, and suggests that the Gollathagudi site, currently under archaeological excavation, is the same as the Gangapur basadi mentioned in the inscription.
Conclusion
The Jagdcherla inscription sheds light on 12th-century Jain religious life in Andhra Pradesh, illustrating the role of merchant patronage, Jain scholastic traditions, and monastic networks in temple construction and spiritual guidance.