03-06-2025
Rare Odia copper plate unearthed in Gunupur
Berhampur: A rare and eloquently inscribed copper plate, a testament to the enduring legacy of Nandapura dynasty, has been unearthed from the culturally rich precincts of Gunupur revealing Odisha's regal past. This epigraphic jewel, dating back to the early 19th century, was brought to light by the efforts of Satyabrata Panigrahi, a local custodian of heritage.
The inscription, etched with dignified precision upon a single copper plate inscribed on both flanks, comprises 15 meticulous lines in robust 19th-century Odia script, interwoven with a solemn Sanskrit verse nestled in lines 12 and 13. The record -- corresponding to Wednesday, 17th August 1803 CE, or the Indian cyclic year Rudhirodgāri -- was composed during the solar eclipse on the third day of Simha and the 15th of Bhadrapada, marking a moment deemed auspicious in the ancient celestial almanac.
This regal edict -- a punardana or regrant of the sacred village Bhaleri, now associated with Radhakanta Temple of Gunupur, was issued by Maharaja Ramachandradeva of Nandapura. The grant confers sweeping rights upon the noble Rāmakrsna Behera Mahapatra, bestowing dominion over its boundaries, fisheries, forests, fields both fertile and fallow and all treasures terrestrial and aquatic, visible and concealed. A poetic coda ensures that the land shall remain in the hands of the recipient's progeny 'as long as the sun and moon shall shine.' In a touching ceremonial homage, the monarch is recorded as offering salutations to the donee thrice daily, underscoring the sacred reciprocity between ruler and devotee.
The plate was deciphered with deft erudition by young epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, a luminous figure in the world of Odisha and Andhra inscriptions, who hails from the scholarly lineage of Sitakanta Rajaguru, son of Padma Shri Satyanarayana Rajguru. With over 75 inscriptions to his credit and a prolific presence in national and international fora, Adhikari continues to illuminate the obscured corridors of Eastern India's historical narrative.
'This singular document deepens our understanding of the Nandapura court's administrative sophistication and their unwavering devotion to religiousand cultural institutions, even amidst the colonial cross-currents of the early 19th century,' remarked Adhikari.
The inscription is poised to enter national epigraphic databases and digital conservation archives, offering a clarion call for renewed exploration of temple records and hidden legacies within Gunupur region of Rayagada. It stands not merely as a grant, but as a voice across centuries—proclaiming the resilience of heritage, the sanctity of memory, and the silent splendour of copper script in Odisha.
