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Chapter 4 (Cntd)

MORPO-PHONEMIC CHANGES IN THE PLACE NAME BARAKURRU  AND IT DERIVATION

For a  proper  study and interpretation of a place name it is necessary   to know the  earliest  form  of  the name and the later changes that it    has undergone from time to time. We may first trace the morpho-phonemic changes epigraphs and then  proceed  to  the derivation of the earliest    form of the name.The earliest form  of  the  name  available  in the Durga (Mahalakshmi) temple inscription of Hosala in Barakuru.  On  palaeographical  grounds    it is assignable to the 11th century A.D.  This is  the  earliest  form   of the name  available  in  records.   But  in  course of time the name   Barahakanyapura came to be used in records  instead of  Barakuru. K. V.    Ramesh  has  argued  that  Kavi  Alupendra  shifted  his  capital  from  Udyavara  to  Barakuru  after  1144 A.D.  Gururaj  Bhatt has taken this   event of the transfer of the capital to the 11th century A.D. Somewhere  during this period, after the acceptance of  Barakuru  as  the  capital  city by the  Alupas  this  trasformation  of  the  name Barakanuru into    Barahakanyapura took place.

Another  point  that  attracts  our attension in this connection is the    association of the story of Bhutalapandya with the name Barahakanyapura The traditional account has it  that  Bhutalapandya  married  12  Jaina   maidens  and  hence  the  town  took  its  name accordingly. Though the credibility of the story of  Bhutalapandya  can  not  be established it seems that there is some connection between the story of  Bhutalapandya and the name of Barahakanyapura.

The name  Barahakanyapura  which had royal sanction came to be  used in royal records. This is evidenced by kote epigraph of 1254 A.D. The first epigraph that mentions the form Barakuru is of Virapandyadevalpendra deva  dated 1257 A.D.

While  Alupas  continued  to use  in their  royal  records the old name Barahakanyapura, Hoysalas gave royal sanction to Barakuru, the new form of the old name Barakanuru. Under Vijayanagara administration and Nayakas   of Keladi, the same form was retained.

Thus "Barakanuru" the earliest form of the name gave rise to "Barakuru". In between we have Barakanyapura a form probably found only in  records  and not used by common man which is easier in pronounciation.  Hence he adopted Barakuru instead of Barakanuru and recently even this  form has    been shortened into BARKUR.

Read more about this in an article by Archibald Furtado

More about Barkur    

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Barkur, located in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka, India. 576 210

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