17th century inscriptions found in K'taka

Shimoga (Karnataka), Jan 31: Historian Dr S G Samak has discovered an unpublished Copper Plate inscription belonging to 17th Century A.D. at Yedehalli village in Sagar taluk of this district belonging to Keladi dynasty.

Speaking to the sources here today he said the inscription on a copper plate measures 10 inch by 6.5 inch and had a total 33 lines. There were 16 lines in the front and 17 lines in the back side of the inscription. The land grant inscription refers to Keladi ruler Veerabhadranayaka, son of Bhadrappanayaka and grand son of Venkatappanayaka, who is also referred as Kotekolahala.

It refers to the land grant in Haratalu seeme given by Veerabhadranayaka to Siddhalinga Devaru a student of Uttaradi Devaru of Anandapura mutt in the Shaka year 1554, which is equivalent to 1632 A.D., he explained.

He said that so far 50 such inscriptions belonging to the rule of Veerabhadranayaka had been published. This was the 51st inscription that had been unearthed in this region.

Dr. Jagadish of Shimoga and Mr. S R Basavaraj of Sagar were instrumental in this discovery, Dr Samak added.

UNI