HYDERABAD: Just a week after the unearthing of a stone inscription hailing from the era of Kalyani Chalukyan ruler Vikramaditya V Tribhuvanamalla in Ummeda village of Nandipet Mandal, located within Nizamabad district, archaeology enthusiasts and explorers from the Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam (KTCB) have discovered another stone inscription in the same village, originating from the era of Jagadekamalla I, a scion of the same dynasty.
The inscription, comprising 20 lines, has emerged on a stone boulder locally known as ‘Ganapathi Gundu’, situated within the Kalabhairava temple premises within the village. This inscription spans three feet in height and four feet in width. Dated back to September 29, 1017 AD, the decree was issued on the propitious occasion of Pingala Aswayuja Shuddha Shashti, a Sunday.
Interestingly, a part of this inscription had been enveloped within a wall and a structure constructed atop the same boulder.
KTCB convener S Haragopal told TNIE that this historical artefact chronicles the endowment of both arable and irrigated land by Somarasa Ankakara to a Jain ascetic named Prasannacharya. This learned sage was well-versed in disciplines like Yama, Niyama, Swadhyaya, Dhyana, and Samadhi, and held mastery in Ashtanga Yoga, a practice observed within Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, he added. These contributions were made by rulers to commemorate the passing of a prominent individual, Haragopal explained, adding that the Basara Kala Hanuman’s inscription stone also featured references to the master of Ashtanga Yoga while delineating the traits of Jain monks.
The base of the stone inscription is intricate sculptures of Lord Ganesha and Naga Veer, meticulously carved in the Rashtrakuta style of art. The local community congregates at the temple every Monday to offer their prayers, he added.