In this 20th Century, with the help of Shasanas, if we imagine the ancient Karnataka's temples, comparatively a different picture will come to our mind. Even now there are temples, true, but socially and culturally their importance are becoming less. Day by day it is lessening. Now-a-days, they are no longer termed as life centers. During the days of ancient Karnataka, they were not only termed as life centers, but also as the complete hold of the nerve of the state for developing our state's culture. Previously, each one of these temples were well managed and bound by rules. It played an important part in the life of people. Among those temples, Barakur's Panchalingeshwara temple was one of the famous temple in the karavali regions of Karnataka. This temple highlights Barakur's sanctity and gorgeousness in its best way and was basically constructed in 7-8th C. As this temple was constructed about 1200 years back, even now if we go deep into people's life, it has not only influenced culturally people of Barakur but also people of the northern parts of this district.

Each and every temple in any place has history of its own. Barakur's Panchalingeshwara temple is not in any way different from this. According to village's practice and Sahyadri group, Barakur belongs to Saint Markandeya. Saint Markandeya, in his ashram, which was on the banks of river Sita, did deep penance in order to praise Lord Shiva, and in order to install Shivalinga in the place where Lord Shiva appeared, sent his disciples to Kashi to bring lingas. But, as they did not turn up with in the stipulated time, he brought linga's from River Sita, and installed it. Then those lingas, which were brought from Kashi, were installed in other temples. In this way, the linga, which was installed by Markandeya, became Markandeshwara. Pleased by the devotion, the Shivas and Shivais constructed the Siddarasa and Padarasa wells in Barakur. This is what the information collected is about. That is how the stories that are in news here tells us about the name achieved by Panchalingeshwara temple. So also the historical evidences, which we get here, will spread the importance of this temple.

Condition Of The Temple

The ten shasanas, which was got around the temple, helped to some extent in getting information about the history of the temple. In these Shasanas, it is mentioned that the name of the temple is Markandeshwara and Panchalingeshwara. During 1425 BC, in one of the shasana it is written as Markandeshwara's Panchalingadeva. Though according to Shasanas, we got the first document of the history of this temple in 1139-40, After analyzing Vaastu Shilpa and Murthy Shilpa, Dr. Gururaj Beru came to the conclusion that Panchalingeshwara temple basically belongs to 7-8 C. Keeping Barakur as the center, the ruling King, Bhujabala, poet Upendra, measured the Suralina field from hand as 30 pandya and pledged it, and from the interest money performed Agrapooja to Markandeshwara. Shivananda Yogi did this arrangement. It is depicted in the shasanas that he has constructed a Naivedyashalae, but in the shasanas of poet Upendra, he has mentioned that a Brahmin from Kashmir stayed here and in front of Markandeshwara had received this as a gift.

In south India, when Hindu Dharma and culture was in a sorrow state, the Vijayanagar kings saved it and were responsible for the growth of it. Barakur's Panchalingeshwara temple, which was a part of Vijayanagar dynasty, was set aside for the purpose of smooth functioning of spiritual functions. During the period of Devaraya I, in Shasanas it was written that "Here for the purpose of Brahmin's food, i.e., for daily rice, ghee, curd, water, Beetal leaves, arecanut, etc"-for these land was set aside, in another shasanas of Immadi Harihara, Tangayasaithathee, this land was set aside as charity for the purpose of Rudra pooja of Markandeshwara. In 1425 shasana, it is mentioned that in the presence of God Panchalinga, this land was set aside for the purpose of growth of vegetation for Brahmin's food, ("rice, ghee, curd, pickles, beetal leaves, etc") In another shasanas of 1426, in the presence of Lord Markandeshwara, in Hinguladevi temple (Natha Pantha temple) for all the activities that goes on, this land has been set aside for charity. On the opposite side of this temple, what I have observed in the shasanas of the year 1468 of Vijayanagar's King Mallikarjuna's, is that this place was gifted for the purpose of imparting education to Goa's Ghana Sagar Sripadha, in the presence of Markandeshwara. By going through these shasanas we can conclude that, this temple whose main objective was providing education, was not only an university of education but also famous for charity and it was a part of people's spiritual life, and a center for cultural activities.