14-07-2025
Chera stone inscription found in Manjeri temple
A stone inscription belonging to Kotha Ravi Perumal, the third Chera king, was unearthed from a temple compound near Manjeri.
Experts in epigraphy have confirmed that this discovery marks Kotha Ravi Perumal's 10th known inscription found in Kerala.
The Chera dynasty had ruled over the region, now known as Kerala, from the 9th to the 12th century with Mahodayapuram (modern-day Kodungalloor) as their capital. The inscription discovered from the Meledath Mahasiva Vettakkorumakan temple at Thrikkalangode, Manjeri, can throw more light on the Chera rule in the Malabar region.
The inscription is carved on a stone paved on the circumambulatory path in front of the circular sanctum sanctorum of the temple. 'The letters have worn off significantly due to years of foot traffic on the path,' said K. Krishnaraj, epigraphist and officer in charge of the Pazhassi Raja Archaeological Museum, Kozhikode.
Mr. Krishnaraj, who created an estampage of the epigraph, said that the name of the Chera king was legible, but the date was unclear. Given that Kotha Ravi Perumal assumed power in 883, the inscription likely dates back to the last two decades of the 9th century.
The inscription in Vattezhuthu, an ancient script used in Kerala, begins with the auspicious phrase Swasti Sree (meaning Hail Prosperity). It refers to a specific arrangement made at the temple during Kotha Ravi Perumal's reign.
The inscription has a postscript that clearly mentions that anyone violating this arrangement would be considered as transgressing the Moozhikkala system, a land management or administrative system that existed during the Chera rule.
10th known record
Veteran epigraphist M.R. Raghava Varier, who studied the inscription, said that the worn-off letters made it difficult to create a precise and full transcript. However, from the decipherable lines, he pointed out that the inscription included typical details commonly found in the Chera Perumal inscriptions. 'This inscription is the 10th known record of Kotha Ravi Perumal. We have already found nine of his inscriptions from other parts of Kerala,' said Dr. Varier.
According to historian Keshavan Veluthat, the Moozhikkala system was first mentioned in the Chokoor inscription from the 15th year of Kotha Ravi Perumal's reign. 'If the Thrikkalangode inscription predates it, then this could be the earliest record referring to the Moozhikkala system,' he said.
However, Dr. Veluthat cautioned that without a clear regnal year, it would be near impossible to make a definite judgement.
E. Dinesan, director of the State Department of Archaeology, said that the department would continue searching for inscriptions and records to shed light on Kerala's ancient rulers.
Excavation assistant V.A. Vimal Kumar, temple secretary Dipesh Meledath, patrons Mohanlal and Jayaprakash Babu, president Sajeev Kumar, and tantri Kakkat Subramanian Namboothiri helped Mr. Krishnaraj in unearthing and reading the inscription.
