Singarasa


Singarasa was a local chieftain holding the title of Maha-Samantha, who had his headquarters at Arasikere, Hassan district, Karnataka, India, in the 12th century CE. He was a popular chieftain of his time, and several places in Karnataka are named after him, for example Singatagere, Singanamane, Singanagadde and Singasandra. Several chieftains with the same or similar names ruled various parts of Karnataka from the 10th century CE onwards.

Mahasamantha

Singarasa ruled Arasiyakere when Vira Ganga Bittideva was king at Dorasamudra, the capital of the Hoysala Empire. Singarasa was the son and successor of Nagavarma; Bhutarasa was Singarasa's son and successor.

Relocated to Kanakatte

An inscription dated 1132 states that Singarasa was relocated from Arasikere to Kanakatte, where he built a temple named Bettadakalideva for Shiva by installing a linga. He also built another temple, which he named Singeshwara after himself, as was the prevailing practice.