Shourya Bhoomi Shilpa Vana is a rock garden dedicated to the memory of Sangolli Rayanna, the commander of Kittur Chennamma who rebelled against the British and was eventually hanged by the colonial power, has over 1800 life size statues besides other features.
The garden at Sangolli, has busts of Rayanna and his family members and associates, fellow soldiers like Amatur Balappa, Bichchugatti Channabasappa and Gajaveera Siddhi. Rani Channamma and her family members are featured too. It also features the murals of some British officers who attacked the Kittur kingdom and incidents from the life of Rayanna and his associates and family.
The images and statues are brought to life by the sculptor of the Shilpa Kala Kuteera of Gotagodi in Haveri district which was established by the late Tippanna B. Solabhakkanavar. A team of 150 artists led by Rajaharsha T. Solabakkanavar worked for three years to create the park. They have made the statues in various materials like bricks, iron, stone, cement, fibre, mud and wood. The park that has come up on 10 acres at the cost of ₹15 crore was commissioned by Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Development Authority of the State government.
The Shilpa Kala Kutir has worked on other famous projects like the Almatti rock garden, Bagalkot folklore museum, Kanheri math Siddhagiri museum in Kolhapur, J.P. Park in Bengaluru, Utsav rock garden in Bidar and Utsav rock garden in Gotagodi, rural culture park in Pune and Isuru movement park in Shivamogga district.
Malleshappa Horapete, authority commissioner, says efforts will be made in future to facilitate research into the lives of Rayanna and his associates and Rani Channamma.
How to reach
The park is situated in Sangolli in Belagavi district, the native village of Rayanna. It is It lies between Kittur and Bailhongal, at a distance of around 15 kilometres from each towns. It is 50 kilometres away from Belagavi, 45 km from Dharwad. There are buses plying between Sangolli and Belagavi, Dharwad, Kittur and Bailhongal.
It is part of the historic tourist circuit that includes Kittur, the seat of the 19th century royal family, M. K. Hubballi, that has ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, Bailhongal where Rani Channamma is buried and Nandagad where Rayanna was executed.
Historical background
Sangolli Rayanna was the military commander of the princely state of Kittur in the 19th century. He served under King Mallasarja Desai and his dowager queen Rani Channamma. She waged a war with the East India Company after it applied the Doctrine of Lapse against the princely state.
Rayanna led the first Anglo Kittur war or the kingdom’s rebellion in 1824 where his associate Amaturu Balappa was killed.
The company attacked Kittur again with additional forces and captured Rani Channamma. However, Rayanna built an army with peasants and share croppers and waged a guerrilla war against the Company till 1829. Traitors in Rayanna’s camp led to his capture along with some of his associates.
Rayanna was hanged to a tree, along with six of his associates. Rayanna was 33 years old when he was executed by the Company officers in 1831. Queen Rani Channamma was hanged two years earlier, in 1829.
Externment orders were issued against Rani Channamma’s adopted son Shivalingappa Desai. The young prince left Kittur and continued to organise a struggle against the Company by entering into alliance with the Portuguese in Goa and the descendants of Tipu Sultan, informs Mahesh Channangi, historian.
