Discovery of copper plate inscriptions at Halebelagola

Description

Context: A slew of copper plate inscriptions dated to the 8th and 9th century CE have been discovered in and around Halebelagola in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district in the recent months.

The discovery has been described as significant as it provides additional material evidence for the understanding of the social and economic conditions of the region.
Many such set of copper plates have also been discovered during renovation exercise at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh and belong to the period of the Vijayanagar rulers and Gajapati kings of Odisha.
17 sets of copper plates with 122 leaves were found while taking up the earth work for conservation of a Jain basadi at Halebelagola.
This is reckoned to belong to the period of the Western Ganga king Sripurusha and is written in Sanskrit and Kananda and has Kannada characters of the 8th century CE.
It records the gift of a village Sokanevadi as “Brahmamdeya” to a brahmin Sokanebhatta of Koushika gotra by Sripurusha.
Another inscription belonged to the Western Ganga king Rajamalla II and is dated to 879 CE.
This also registers the gift of a village Agalivolal by the king for renovation and conducting of festivities in Satyavaka Jinalaya.
It also states that the gift was entrusted to the preceptor Gunasenadeva of Mulasamgha.
Similarly, another village Jayavur was gifted for renovation and conducting worship in Sivayya Jinalaya of Kabappu Teertha at the request of the king’s minister Sivayya.
These discoveries are significant and some of the copper plates dates range from 6th century CE to the medieval and late medieval period, including Vijayanagar period and other dynasties who ruled in southern India.
New kings and new dates have come to light and such discoveries add many new pages to history of the region which has already been documented.