Inscriptions of Andhra Pradesh Nalgonda District: Set of 2 Volumes (An Old and Rare Book in Telugu and English)

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The persunt hook viz. The Inscriptions of Andhra Pradesh: Nalgonda District Volume I is the fourth in the District Series of Inscriptions, which the Department has undertaken to bringout, as a consequence of the villagewise epigraphical survey conducted in the district by the Epigraphy Branch of the Department of Archaeology and Museums.

The known history of Nalgonda District begins as early as 2nd-3rd c.A.D., as can be seen from the few label records Phanigiri in Brahmi characters, engraved on architectural and and Vardhamanakota. For instance al of a Buddhist Shipa, recently discovered at sculptural fragments at Gajulabanda, label inscription engraved on an architectural Vardhamana Kota, reads as member Upalikaya Buddha rakshitaya dinam", meaning the gift of a slab by an Upasika named Buddharakshita. On palaeographical grounds the above record is datable to the third or fourth quarter of 2nd c.A.D. The next landmark in the history of the District is the Vishpukundi period (4th to 6th c.A.D.) as evidenced by the Two Copper Plate Grants from the village Tummalagudem belonging to Govindavarma and Vikramendra Bhattaraka Varma II. In fact the discovery of these two Copper Plate Charters brought about far reaching changes in the chronology and genealogy of the Vishnukundi Kings. Set II of the above two records, furnishes for the first time the Saka date 488 (i.e. 566 A.D.) which serves as the basis for building up the chronological history of A.P. on a sound basis. It is also interesting to find that these two grants record the construction of a Buddhist Vilara, described as Mahavihara by Paramabhattarika Mahadevi, queen of Govindavarma, at a place caliod Indrapura alias Indrapalanagara, i.e. Tummalagudem. It is also interesting to note that, for the first time, we come across the term Stupa in these grants which has been mentioned as Chaitya in the earlier inscriptions at Amaravati and Nagarjunakonda. Another important record of the District is the Velamjala inscription dated S. 829 (927 A.D.) belonging to Rashtrakuta Akalavarsha (Krishna II). The Saidapur inscription of the Western Chalukya King Jayasimha II Jagadekamalla I, informs us of a certain Aggalayya, who was an expert physician and adept in surgery. An inscription from Kolanupaka belonging to the time of Trailokyamalla Somesvara I mentions a Mahamandalesvara Kota Bhimarasar, identifiable with the Kota Chief of Dhanyakataka or Dharnikota, near Amaravati, from which, we learn that Trailokyamalla, during his expedition to Vengi, brought with him the Kota Chief and appointed him as the Governor of Kollipaka. This also pushes back the antiquity of the Kota Chiefs of Dharanikota, who are otherwise known to us only as the subordinates of the Kakatiyas of Warangal i.e. from the time of Rudra 1. Further, the three Sanskrit inscriptions engraved in Nagari Characters, in Kolanupaka belong to the Paramara Chief Jagaddeva. Of them, two records dated in C.V. 29, Tarana, Chaitra Su. 15, corresponding to A.D. 1104, March 13, contain the family prasasti of the Paramara Kings and state that Jagaddeva built a temple called Jagaddeva Narayanadeva at Kolanupaka, and made munificent gifts to the God for the anga-ranga bhogas, renovation and feeding the ascetics and pupils etc.

Apart from the inscriptions of the imperial dynasties, Nalgonda District also furnishes inscriptions of the feudatories or subordinate chiefs like the Kanduru Chodas, the Cheraku Chiefs, the Recherla Chiefs, the Musunuri Chiefs and the Velamas of Rachakonda and Devarakonda. Among them the Kanduru Chiefs ruled over Nalgonda and Miryalaguda taluks in Nalgonda District as the feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyana and the Kakatiyas of Warangal, with Panugallu as their headquarters. It is interesting to find that the language employed in almost all their records is Telugu.

As regards the Kakatiyas, the Maruru epigraph of Mahadeva is important, for, he is represented by only two inscriptions at other places. The Chandupatia epigraph dated 1289 A.D. Nov, 25 informs us that Queen Rudramadevi died along with her general Mallikarjuna Nayaka in a battle-field, while fighting against the Kayastha Chief Ambadeva, who, according to the Tripurantakam inscription dated 1290 A.D. rebelled against his master. Rudramadevi and defeated her, and several other Chiefs and generals.

Thus, the village-wise survey yielded about 300 inscriptions in all which have been divided into two volumes as Vol.I and Vol. II. Of them Vol. I containing 181 inscriptions is edited by Dr. P.V., Parabrahma Sastry, while Vol. II was edited by Late Dr. N. Venkata Ramanayya, formerly Deputy Directors (Epy.) and eminent epigraphists. I congratulate Dr. P.V. Parabrahma Sastry, Editor of the present Volume who took great pains to decipher the inscriptions and prepare texts and gists for each with meticulous care and expertise, highlighting the significance of each record in its proper perspective. I also congratulate Dr. N. Mukunda Rao, Chief Epigraphical Officer, Sri T. Mallikarjuna Rao, Sri. B. Jayaranga Rao and Sri G. Chandraiah, the then Epigraphy Assistants and Sri M. Komaraiah, Keeper of Estampages and Sri M. Innaiah, Sri S.A. Rahim, Sri D. Narayana, Estampage Takers for conducting village-wise survey in the district and locating the inscriptions and bringout neat estampages of inscriptions. I thank, Dr. N.S.Ramachandra Murthy, Assistant Director (Epy Pub.) and Smt. B. Indumathi Devi and Sri C. Venkatesam Chetty, Publication Assistants for correcting the proofs carefully. In the end I thank, Sri S. I. Fazal, Proprietor M/s. Farah Printers who laboured hard to print this Volume neatly and in an attractive manner.

Due to certain unavoidable circumstances, the Index could not be included in the present Volume which will however find place in Volume II. I crave the indulgence of scholars for this unavoidable lapse.

It is my sincere and earnest hope that the present volume will serve the needs of scholars engaged in historical research and forms a valuable source material and win their critical appreciation.

**Contents and Sample Pages**