SANDUR/BALLARI: A rare Kannada inscription carrying an unusual curse against theft has been discovered on the bund of an agricultural field at Dodda Anthapur village in Sandur taluk of Ballari district, offering a glimpse into the agricultural practices, property protection and social beliefs of the post-Vijayanagara period.
The four-line inscription, found on a land belonging to a farmer named Tayappa, is about three feet tall and one-and-a-half feet wide. It is believed to date back to the period of local chieftains after the Vijayanagara Empire, based on its script and style. The inscription was documented by the Vijayanagara Tirugata Research Team during a field survey.
The inscription mentions a person named Kadaba and his agricultural field, warning against the theft of sedhe, an agricultural material. Researchers said such harsh expressions were used to discourage theft and protect agricultural property through religious and social beliefs.
The inscription also features a distinctive human sculpture below the text, depicting a man in an unusual posture. Professor
H Thippeswamy, Director of the Nandihalli Postgraduate Centre of Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University, said the sculpture and the unusual curse made the inscription.
