A 16th-century Telugu inscription was discovered at the Bugga Ramalingeswara temple in Tadipatri, Andhra Pradesh. The inscription, found on a stone slab near the temple’s ‘mukhamandapam’ (main entrance hall), details land grants made by Salva Narasimha Nayaka, a chieftain under the Vijayanagara Empire.
The inscription is significant as it’s one of the earliest Telugu inscriptions from the region, providing valuable insights into the socio-economic conditions of the time. It’s written in archaic Telugu script and uses a mix of Telugu and Sanskrit words.
Specifically, the inscription records a grant of land to a Brahmin named Vemanna Sharma, belonging to the Bharadwaja gotra, by Salva Narasimha Nayaka. The land was granted in the village of ‘Penumakonda’ (present-day Penukonda) and was exempt from various taxes. The grant was made to facilitate the performance of rituals and upkeep of the temple.
Epigraphist Dr. K. Muniratnam Reddy, who examined the inscription, notes its importance in understanding the administrative and religious practices of the Vijayanagara period in the Rayalaseema region. The inscription also mentions the boundaries of the granted land, providing details about the agricultural practices and land ownership patterns of the 16th century.
The Bugga Ramalingeswara temple itself is a historical site, built during the Vijayanagara period and known for its unique rock-cut architecture. This discovery adds to the temple’s historical significance and offers further evidence of the region’s rich cultural heritage. Local authorities and archaeology enthusiasts are hopeful that further exploration of the temple complex may reveal more such historical inscriptions and artifacts. The inscription is currently being preserved and studied for further analysis.
