Udupi: Stone Inscription Belonging to Vijayanagar Era Unearthed at Padubidri

News & Pics: Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD/SB)

Udupi, Aug 25: A stone inscription in Kannada that dates back to the era of Vijayanagar empire under King Bukkaraya I was unearthed in the neighbourhood of Kanchinadka near Padubidri, said Professor T Murugeshi, archaeology professor of M S R S College, here.

The inscription was engraved in the shape of a horse shoe on a rectangular granite stone. The engraving comprises pictures of sun – moon and at the bottom Shivalinga in the shape of horse-shoe besides lamp-stands on either sides and picture of a bull in between.

The stone inscription found in a hilly farmland located at Kalaiguttu in Kanchinadka, near here under Padebettu gram panchayat is 4 feet in length and has a breadth of 2 feet. It has thickness of 6 – 7 inches. The inscription runs to 14 lines in Kannada script below the pictures.

Now the stone inscription is believed to have been engraved in 1321 during the reign of Vijayanagar king Bukkaraya I. The inscriptions shed light on local governance by the governor appointed by King Bukkaraya I at Barkoor near here.

The reign of King Bukkaraya I have great significance to Hinduism and cultural hierarchy, since the royals immensely contributed to temples, mutts and worship centres. The inscriptions state that the lands were donated by royals for the local temples in Padubidri, here and other temples in the neighbourhood.

The history students of local colleges, SDM Ayurveda College medical officer Dr Y N Shetty and the well known archaeology expert Dr B Rajashekarappa from Chitradurga were involved in recording the significant information from the inscription.    

For more details, one can contact Archaeology department of M S R S College on - 091 820 574116.