On August 10th, I took up an ongoing project to retrace the path of Francis Buchanan, the renowned Scottish physician and geographer who documented his explorations of South India in 1800-01. Our journey took us to Doray Gudda, a hill once significant for its iron ore deposits, and Malleshwara Betta. After crossing Nittur town towards KB Cross, we inquired about Doray Gudda, but to our dismay, the younger generation had no recollection of this name. However, fortune smiled upon us when we encountered an elderly local near a roadside hotel close to Kondli Cross.
Buchanan, in his writings, referred to a place called “Conli” locally, “Kondli”. The elderly man we met was not only familiar with the name but also eager to guide us to Doray Gudda. As we crossed Shivasandra and approached a small hill, the soil beneath our feet turned reddish, confirming the presence of iron ore—a sign that this was indeed a mining area, as Buchanan had described.
We ascended the hill, where evidence of past mining activities became apparent. The landscape was marked by ridges and traces of old excavations. Buchanan noted that this hill was unique in the vicinity for producing iron ore, although it was known by different names in different villages. At Kondli, it was called Doray Gudda, a name Buchanan adopted in his documentation.
The strata of the hill, Buchanan observed, were vertical and ran north to south, a characteristic of many hills in this region. This chain of hills stretches all the way to Chitradurga. The ore here is embedded with earthy quartz or hornstone, with masses that are whitish and fine-grained. Another form of ore found in the area is bluish and somewhat brittle.
Buchanan detailed the mining practices of the locals, including the count of manpower, the supply of iron ore from the hill, and the product of iron smelting. He also noted that the locals performed an annual sacrifice to the deities Gudada Umma (Guddadamma), the mother of the hill, and Muti Raya (Muthuraya), a male spirit believed to protect the mine hill. We, however, could only locate a Hanuman temple along the ascent to the hill.
Our journey continued northeast towards Malleshwara Betta, known in Buchanan’s writings as Malaiswara Betta, near Madana Madu village. The hilltop temple, now called Honnebagi Abbige Malleshwara, is a small shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, located near the CN Halli mining area. The vertical stones Buchanan described can still be seen today, preserved outside the temple. He also documented the presence of lithomarge, it’s a soft, earthy material primarily made of Kaolinite clay, formed from the weathering of feldspar-rich rocks, found in large masses atop the rocky strata, with various fragments scattered around. The view from the hilltop is breathtaking, offering a panoramic sight of cultivated fields, small lakes, and lush coconut and areca plantations.
Our expedition to Doray Gudda and Malleshwara Betta was not just an adventurous trek but a journey back in time, bringing Buchanan’s rich historical records to life.
The journey continues…
Shiva is an avid field explorer of history and the environment and is Project Field Researcher at FAIR.