Vikramaditya I dated inscription found in Davangere

Hindustan Times

01-05-2025

A rare inscription dating back to the time of Vikramaditya I of the Badami Chalukya dynasty has been unearthed at Madapura Lake in Nyamati taluk of Davangere district, according to officials familiar with the matter.
'The inscription measures approximately five feet in length and comprises 17 lines inscribed in Old Kannada script. According to preliminary assessments, this inscription dates to the 7th century AD, specifically during the reign of Vikramaditya I of the Badami Chalukyas, who ruled between 654 and 681 AD. It serves as a vital piece of evidence attesting to the administrative and social organisation of that era,' said R Shejeshwar, deputy director of Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, Kamalapur.
He further said that the department received information about the inscriptions when some local villagers were using a JCB to excavate and remove soil from the bed of Madapura Lake on Tuesday.
'The inscription describes a notable act by Vikramaditya I's officer, Singhavenna, who governed the region of Ballavi. It records that Singhavenna waived certain taxes on the local villagers, demonstrating an administrative gesture aimed at promoting welfare. Additionally, it mentions a land donation of six acres made to the kings responsible for constructing the lake. The inscription also mentions that this land was historically owned by 77 families of Ballavi, shedding light on landholding patterns and community structures from over a millennium ago,' he further said.
The official said that the discovery of this inscription provided valuable insights into the ancient administrative divisions and governance of the region. 'It confirms that Ballavi was a sizable administrative unit comprising approximately 70 villages, reflecting well-organized local governance during the 7th century AD. Moreover, the inscription's age—approximately 1,344 years—underscores the antiquity and historical depth of the area.'
'An intriguing feature of the inscription is the presence of an incomplete relief sculpture from the 17th century AD, located on both the front and back of the stone slab. This suggests that the site continued to hold cultural or religious significance in subsequent centuries, with later carvings adding layers to its historical narrative say officials,' Shejeshwar added.