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The Hindu
9 hours ago
- Science
- The Hindu
First Indian epigraphical reference to Halley's comet found in 15th century copper plate inscription
The first Indian epigraphical reference to Halley's comet has been discovered in a copper plate inscription dated 1456 CE belonging to the Vijayanagara period and preserved at the Srisailam Mallikarjunaswamy temple in Andhra Pradesh. Dr. K. Munirathnam Reddy, Director, Epigraphy Branch of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), who announced the discovery, told The Hindu that the inscription is written in Sanskrit, using Nagari script, and refers to the appearance of a comet and a subsequent meteor shower — events that historically coincide with the 1456 appearance of Halley's comet. The inscription records a grant made by the Vijayanagara ruler Mallikarjuna to a Vedic scholar on Śaka 1378, Dhātru Āshāḍha ba. 11, corresponding to Monday, June 28, 1456 CE. The grant was issued 'in order to mitigate the great calamity believed to arise due to the appearance of a comet (dhūmakētu mahōtpāta śāntyartham), and the associated meteor shower (Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham)', said Mr. Munirathnam. The king donated a village named Simgapura, located in Kelajhasima of Hastinavati Vemṭhe, as an agrahāra to a Brahmana named Limgaṇarya, a Vedic scholar from Kaḍiyalapura. Dr. Reddy said this place is probably present-day Kaḍiyapulanka in Galividu mandalam, Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh, and noted that the scholar was probably well-versed in astronomy. Dr. Munirathnam noted that while references to dhumaketus (comets) are found in ancient and medieval Indian texts, this is the first inscriptional record that has been discovered. 'What makes this particularly significant,' he said, 'is that the year mentioned in the inscription and the reference to the comet's appearance matches the year in which Halley's comet was later established to have appeared,' said He explained that in traditional belief systems and from the available historical records, the appearance of a comet and meteor shower was considered inauspicious, and associated with misfortune and calamities in many parts of the world. Mr. Reddy said the appearance of the comet and the beliefs surrounding it are vividly expressed in the inscription in the phrase: Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham dattavān vibhuḥ — meaning: this grant was made in order to pacify the calamities that may arise due to the illuminating comets and meteor shower upon the king and his kingdom. The discovery of reference to comets in the inscription was made during the critical 'line by line' editing of a set of 21 unpublished copper plate charters held by the Srisailam temple authorities. The collection, comprising 78 copper leaves, will soon be published in book form, he added.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Rare find: 16th century inscription in Haveri district of Karnataka records death of 6,307 people owing to drought
A sculptural inscription discovered near Chandrashekara temple at Guttala in Haveri district of Karnataka has documented the death of 6,307 people due to drought in the local area, making it the first such historical record of a humanitarian disaster caused by a natural calamity in India. The discovery has been hailed as a significant addition to India's epigraphic heritage. The inscription is dated Saka 1461, Vikari, Bhadrapada su.5, which corresponds to August 18, 1539 CE, according to K. Munirathnam Reddy, Director, Epigraphy, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). In Kannada language He said the inscription is in the Kannada language and script, and it solemnly records the tragedy, marking it as one of the large-scale natural calamities documented epigraphically in Indian history. The text, inscribed on a stone slab, states that 6,307 people had perished due to bara or drought. It notes that their bodies were buried by Marulaih Odeya, son of Nanideva Odeya of Guttavalala, by carrying them in baskets for the merit of Timmarasa Svami, the ruler of the seeme (a territorial division), after paying obeisance to the feet of god Basaveshwara. The inscription is accompanied by a sculpture depicting a person — ostensibly Marulaih Odeya — carrying a basket containing two or three bodies on his head. Rare and explicit Mr. Munirathnam described the findings as a landmark, as the inscription is rare and explicitly documents the human toll of drought. Inscriptions such as the one at Guttala provide an insight into the socio-economic conditions that prevailed during historical periods, and these are often absent in literary texts. Through comparative studies, it may even be possible to understand how communities coped with such calamities, he said. A broader study of similar inscriptions across regions and periods can deepen our understanding of the historical impact of natural calamities and the responses they evoked, according to Mr. Munirathnam. He said it could also help researchers trace climatic patterns, while scholars might uncover details of administrative action or demographic changes based on such records. The epigraphy branch of the ASI, discovered and copied over 1,000 inscriptions from the length and breadth of India, including in deep jungles during 2024-25. This year, more than 100 inscriptions have been discovered so far, reinforcing the importance of epigraphy in reconstructing and understanding the history of India.
