KADAPA: The Kalamalla inscription dating back to 575 AD was reportedly unearthed on the premises of Chennakesava-Siddeshwara temple at Kalamalla village in Yerraguntla Mandal of the district on Friday.
The ancient inscription was believed to be shifted and preserved in the Chennai (Egmore) Archeology Museum during the British era.
Eminent archaeologists Srinivasulu and Avadhanam Uma Maheswara Sarma, retired professor Samba Siva Reddy and their team visited Kalamalla on Friday and confirmed that it is the Kalamalla inscription after inspecting it.
The ancient inscription was unearthed during the tour of Prof Munirathnam Reddy, Director of Epigraphy, Archaeological Survey of India, and his team to inspect and identify rare inscriptions in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
The Kalamalla inscription is considered to be the first one written entirely in the Telugu language and put up by Renati Chola King Erikal Mutthuraju.
“The Kalamalla inscription, which was considered as the first one in Telugu, was discovered by Telugu Bhasha Parirakshana State president Onteru Srinivasulu Reddy, retired history professor Srinivasulu, archaeologist Uma Maheswara Sarma and poet Vemu Narayana Reddy.
The Kalamalla inscription is the evidence behind the emergence of the Telugu script. Due to fading of letters on the inscription, many were unable to identify and confirm it as the Kalamalla inscription. But now, eminent archaeologists confirmed it to be the Kalamalla inscription,” Munirathnam Reddy said.
He appealed to the State government to set up a platform on the Chennakesava-Siddeshwara temple premises and display the six inscriptions unearthed at Kalamalla there itself.
“It will allow the future generations to learn and witness the rich essence and history of Telugu language at Kalamalla itself,” Munirathnam Reddy said. He attributed the identification of the Kalamalla inscription after starting their quest in 2007 to increased awareness and interest among the general public in the rare ancient inscriptions, which highlight Telugu culture.