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Picture Courtesy: The Hindu

Context:

An early Telugu inscription dated to the 8th century CE has been unearthed at Pitikayagulla village in the Bestavaripeta (Besthavari Peta) mandal of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh. It is engraved on a stone slab placed in front of the historic Pitikesvara/Pithikesvara Swamy temple.

Key highlights of the early 8th-century Telugu inscription:

• The inscription dates to the early 8th century CE, making it one of the earliest Telugu inscriptions known from the region.

• It was found engraved on a stone slab erected in front of the historic Pitikesvara (or Pitikesvara) temple in Pitikayagulla village, Bestavaripeta mandal.

• Written in early Telugu language and script, the inscription is important for research on the evolution of the Telugu script from earlier influences.

• The four-line text has been transliterated as: “Svasti Sri Nandelu Vari, Chensinavanthu Prani, Milli Achari” and “Padasina Nava Katta”. Epigraphists interpret this as a record of the construction of a new embankment (nava katta).

• The work is attributed to Pranimilli (Pranamilli) Achari, identified as a sculptor or craftsman, indicating that artisans took active roles in public works.

• It likely documents irrigation or water-management infrastructure, showing organized local engineering efforts rather than purely religious or royal inscriptions.

• The crafts reflect recognition of skilled artisans within the society and suggests community involvement in development projects.

• Scholars highlight the inscription’s value in tracing Telugu’s transition from Prakrit and Sanskrit influence toward an independent administrative and literary language by the early medieval period.

• While the inscription doesn’t mention a king, it is believed to relate to the Renadu region under early royal or local administration, offering clues about regional governance and society in Andhra Pradesh during the 8th century CE.

Telegu Language:

Telugu belongs to the Dravidian language family, which is one of the oldest language families in India. It evolved from Proto-Dravidian, and later from Proto-South-Central Dravidian, along with languages like Gondi and Konda. Unlike Indo-Aryan languages, Telugu developed independently in the Deccan region, especially present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Early Linguistic Phase: In its earliest phase, Telugu existed mainly as a spoken language used by common people, while Prakrit and Sanskrit dominated inscriptions and administration. Many early Telugu words appear in Prakrit inscriptions of the Satavahanas (2nd century BCE–2nd century CE)

Emergence in Inscriptions (6th–8th Century CE): Telugu began appearing clearly in written form around the 6th century CE, marking the start of its epigraphic history.

• The Renati Chola inscriptions (575 CE onwards) are among the earliest known inscriptions fully in Telugu, showing its use in administration.
• By the 8th century CE, inscriptions like the one recently found at Pitikayagulla (A.P.) show Telugu being used for public works records, proving it had become a functional language of governance and society.

Influence of Sanskrit and Prakrit: As Telugu developed, it absorbed a large number of Sanskrit and Prakrit words, especially in areas like religion, governance, and literature. This led to a mixed vocabulary, where Native Dravidian words were used in daily life and sanskrit loanwords dominated literary, religious, and royal contexts

This blending gave Telugu a rich and flexible vocabulary, contributing to its later literary greatness.

Birth of Telugu Literature (11th Century CE): The real literary age of Telugu began in the 11th century CE under the Eastern Chalukyas.

• Nannaya Bhattaraka, known as the Adi Kavi (first poet) of Telugu, started translating the Mahabharata into Telugu.
• He standardized grammar and literary style, giving Telugu a classical literary foundation.

Golden age of Telugu Literature (14th–16th Century): Telugu literature flourished under the Vijayanagara Empire.

• The period saw the rise of the Ashtadiggajas (eight great poets) in the court of Krishnadevaraya.
• Telugu became a prestigious court language, used in poetry, drama, and philosophy.

Modern development (19th–20th Century): During the colonial period, Telugu underwent modernization and standardization.

• Printing presses, dictionaries, and grammar books helped formalize usage.
• Social reformers and writers like Gurajada Apparao promoted modern prose and spoken-style writing.
• Telugu became a strong medium for journalism, education, and political movements.

Conclusion:

The Pitikayagulla inscription is an important piece of early medieval history that highlights the growing use of Telugu as a written administrative language by the 8th century CE. Its reference to the construction of a public irrigation structure shows the role of local communities and artisans in developmental activities. The record also reflects the transition of Telugu from a spoken vernacular to an epigraphic and functional language. Overall, the discovery enriches our understanding of language evolution, rural infrastructure, and social organization in early Andhra Pradesh.

Source: The Hindu