Jainism Under the Kalacuris and the Séunas
By Hampa Nagarajaiah
Summary
"A) Kalacuri Rule and Jain Patronage i) The Kalacuris rose to power when Bijjala (Bijjana), a subordinate of the later Calukyas, usurped the throne in 1156 CE at Annigeri, a Jain center. He was supported by Récana (alias Récarasa/Récaprabhu), a devout Jaina general acclaimed as Vasudhaika-bandhava (""kinsman of the world""). Bijjala’s rule marked a revival of Jain patronage, with commissions such as: ii) Jaina edifices at Cipparagi-tirtha, Malakavāte, and Babanagara iii) Grants to temples and monasteries, such as Mantagi, Gottigadi, and Karadikal (later converted to a Virabhadra shrine) iv) Promotion of poets like Acana, author of Vardhamānapurāṇa v) Contributions from officials like Boppadeva and Śankara, who built temples and endowed shrines vi) Récana later shifted allegiance to the Hoysalas when Bijjala's successors failed, becoming a minister under Hoysala rule, signaling the decline of Kalacuri power. B) Seunas (Yadavas) and Jainism i) Initially feudatories of the Rastrakutas, the Seunas asserted independence in the late 12th century under Bhillama V and Singhana II, ruling up to the Tungabhadra River. Jain influence during their reign was substantial: ii) The origin legend links Seuna ancestry to Drdhaprahara, born in a Jain vihāra under the refuge of Candraprabhasvāmin (8th Tirthankara) iii) Notable monarch Seunacandra-III patronized Jaina institutions and epigraphs began with Jain salutations iv) Epigraphic evidence mentions land and monetary grants to Jain temples, such as Kandagal, Térdal, and Koppala v) Eminent officials like Bacisetti (PM and General) and his family—Rajaladevi and Payisetti—sponsored temples like Srivijaya Jinalaya, Kalkeri Caitvālaya, and more vi) Major centers like Laxmesvara and Adur remained vibrant hubs of Jain activity, supported by a lineage of ācāryas from Mūlasangha and Sūrastha-gana vii) Endowments by military officers like Saluva Tikkama and administrators like Kūcirāja for basadis at Mannera Masalavada, Agarkhēd, and others reflect broad-based support\
Conclusion
Both the Kalacuris and Seunas fostered significant Jain patronage despite political turbulence. Their courts and administrative apparatus were filled with devout Jains, many of whom played critical roles in temple construction, literary production, and preservation of monastic lineages. This period marks a flourishing chapter of Jain cultural and institutional expansion in the Deccan.