Haveri: A rare sculpture and inscription found in Haveri district has unearthed a moving story from Karnataka’s past — that of Marulayya, a humble man who carried and interred over 6,000 bodies during a devastating famine in 1539.For centuries, the ancient stone near Chandrashekhara Temple in Guttal village of Haveri district stood overlooked. While many people appreciated the carving of the stone, the inscriptions that mentioned its importance went unnoticed. But Dr R Shejeshwara, Director, Karnataka State Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, Kamalapura-Hampi who studied this has brought to light a forgotten chapter of Karnataka’s history, etched not just in stone but in deep human compassion.The rare pairing of sculpture and inscription tells the extraordinary story of Marulayya — a man who performed the final rites for 6,307 unclaimed bodies during a year of famine and disease that devastated the region.At a time when history often focuses on kings, wars, and monuments, the discovery Marulayya’s story is a reminder that the greatest legacy sometimes comes from the most silent hands — those that lifted the dead when no one else would.“This is not just an inscription. It is a monument to selfless service,” Dr. R. Shejeshwar told Deccan Chronicle.The stone sculpture captures Marulayya in a powerful pose — strong, bearded, sacred ash on his forehead, and a bamboo basket (known as jalle) on his head, carrying two corpses laid side-by-side. In one hand, he holds the jalle, and in the other, a ceremonial chaamara. A Shiva Linga carved next to him symbolises the sacredness of the task he undertook.Carved into the same stone are 33 lines of old Kannada script — 20 on the right and 13 on the left.The inscription clearly states the date as Bhadrapada Shukla Panchami, Vikari Samvatsara, corresponding to August 18, 1539, when Achyutaraya ruled the Vijayanagara Empire.“Nowhere in the world do we have a documented case of a man performing final rites for over six thousand people — and definitely not in such vivid sculptural detail,” Dr. Shejeshwar noted.Historical clues point to a devastating famine and possible outbreak of epidemic disease in the Guttal region during that year. Entire villages were likely wiped out, leaving bodies unclaimed, decomposing, and abandoned. In the face of that horror, Marulayya did what few would dare — carrying bodies on his own shoulders, offering them dignity in death, and inscribing his deed not through boast but as a prayer for peace.“He did not do this for recognition. The inscription records it as an act of punya — merit — for his overlord Pattada Timmaswamy. But it is clear Marulayya bore the physical and emotional weight of it,” Dr. Shejeshwar added.Though the sculpture had previously been mentioned in a few academic theses and in the Dharwad Gazetteer, it had never been studied in full — and never with the inscription attached. “This is the first time we have the full context,” he said.To ensure future research, the department has documented the site thoroughly and expressed hope that the sculpture and inscription will be preserved and presented for public viewing.Shejeshwara thanked Dr. Ravikumar K. Navalagund and Dr. Chamaraj Kammar for assisting in the fieldwork that led to the discovery.
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