Rare copperplate inscriptions found in Ahmednagar

Two sets of rare copperplate inscriptions belonging to the Vakataka dynasty were discovered in Khandvi, in Ahmednagar district.

 The artefacts have records about the grant regarding the Sahuli Village in Bhandara being donated by Vakataka ruler second Pravarsena in 442 AD.

Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute’s (Bori) assistant curator, Shreenand Bapat, gave the information during the PK Gode memorial lecture organised at the institute on Thursday.

The ancient pieces were in the possession of farmers Bhagwanrao Vayase and Punajaram Vayase, and Popatrao Mergal for the past 10 years.

Bapat said, “Vakataka was a very powerful royal Indian dynasty that originated from Deccan in 275 to 500 AD. The copperplate is issued from the royal camp of Bharatwada in Nagpur district to a person named Kaluttakswami residing in Padmanagara. The original name of Sahuli is Chudubhunaka and it is situated on the right bank of the river Vainaganga. The rulers of the Vakataka dynasty which includes Pravarsena I, Rudrasena I, Prithivishena and Rudrasena II have been mentioned as predecessors of the donor king in the inscription. One also finds a reverent mention of Prabhavatigupta, mother of Pravarsena II, who was the daughter of Chandragupta Vikramaditya in the inscriptions.” 

According to Bapat, the inscription has four plates put together with a ring and a royal seal. “The inscription measures 20.2 x 10.2 cm and weighs 1,719 grams. The grant is written in Sanskrit and inscribed in Brahmi script.”

MK Dhavalikar, who presided over the function, underlined the great contribution of Sanskrit scholar and archaeologist, VV Mirashi, in the study of Vakataka dynasty.