Nāyakas of Kālahasti chief Kūmara Venkaṭappa Nāyaka Copper plates from Kālahasti,A.P.

A set of copper plates in the possession of Dr.Parusuram Gurukul,Dhandadhikāri of Śrikālahasti Devastanam,Kalahasti,Tirupati district,A.P.

It is written in Telugu language and characters,dated in Śaka 1713,Virodhakṛit,Māgha,ba 14 Monday = 1792 C.E.February 21.

Records the gift of wet lands in 9 villages viz., Tondamanāḍu, Vikṛutamāla, Akkūrti, Vīrarāghavapuram, Kanmali, Chembbeta, Kāṭūru, Anjināṭi and Iśvarapuram, some taxes collected from 6 tālukas (names mentioned) and also 100 varahas to temple treasure maintained by Ayāgurukal, for providing food offerings,burning perpetual lamp, conducting Nītya, Paksha, Māsa, Varshōtsavams and also to pay wages for female servants (తిరుపణిముఖాలు) in the temple of Śrikalastīśvsra by Kūmara Venkaṭappa Nāyaka,son Timmānāyaka grandson of Akkappanāyaka on the occasion of Mahaśivaratri.

Courtesy : Courtesy:Dr.S.Parusuram Gurukul,Kalahasti.

Director(Epigraphy),Archaeological Survey of India

Krishnadēvarāya copper plates from Rākaṭla,Andhra Pradesh

A set of copper plates found in the village Rākaṭla,Anantapur district,A.P.,presently in the possession of Sri.Sudhakar Thoomati,Hyderabad.

It is written in Sanskrit and Telugu languages and Nāgari characters,dated in Śaka 1449,Sarvadhāri,Kārttika,Su 12,Monday = 1527 C.E,November 5.

The record gives an elaborate praśasti of Kṛṣṇadevarāya, celebrating his prowess in warfare,his victories over several rulers, and his devotion to religion.His benefactions to numerous sacred centres such as Śrīśaila, Kāñcī, Veṅkaṭādri (Tirumala),Śrīraṅgam, Gokarṇa, Rāmeśvaram and other places. It also lists several mahādānas and charitable gifts made to prominent temples and tīrthas.

Records the gift of a village Daddanāla after renaming it as Krishṇarāyapuram on the bank of the river Kumudavati,situated in the Mulikināḍu of Ghaṇḍikōṭa to Channubhaṭṭārya,a learned Brāhmaṇa belonging to the Modgalya gōtra and Āpastamba sūtra,well versed in Yajurvēda,Tantra,Tarla,Mahābhāṣya and 18 Purānas by the King in the presence of the deity Virūpākṣa.The record was engraved by Vīraṇāchārya,son of Mallaṇa.

The gifted village Daddanāla is located in Rājupāļem Mandalam in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

Courtesy : Sri.Sudhakar Thoomati,Hyderabad.

Director(Epigraphy),Archaeological Survey of India

Kalyāni Chālukya inscription from Yenikepalli,Telangana

This inscription is engraved on a pillar,found in the village Yenikepalli,Moinabad mandal (Near Chilkur village),Ranga Reddy district,Telangana.

It is written in Kannada language and characters of 10th-11th century C.E.

Built Inn. Records the construction of a maṇḍapa,house and performs the Mahābhisheka in Antara basadi of Chilkūru by Biṭaya (before attaining the death),after the lavishing the feet of Nēmi Chandrayya (a pontiff). Further it records the erection of a Nishadhi in a memory of Biṭaya by Bhāskaraya.

Director(Epigraphy),Archaeological Survey of India

First Indian Epigraphical Reference to Halley's Comet found in Srisailam Copper Plate Charter,Andhra Pradesh,dated 1456 CE

Halley's Comet is the only known short-period comet that is consistently visible to the naked eye from Earth, appearing every 72–80 years.Due to its intrinsic brightness, about one eighth of all comet sightings mentioned in historic records belong to Halley's Comet.

This Unique inscription written in Sanskrit language and Nāgari characters of the reign of the Vijayanagara king Mallikārjuna.For the first time in the Indian context gives us a rare epigraphical reference to the appearance of Halley's comet and the resultant meteor shower in the year 1456 CE.

It records that in Śaka 1378, Dhātru, Āshāḍha ba.11, Monday (1456 CE, June 28) in order to pacify the great calamity that is believed to arise due to the appearance of a comet (Dhūmakētu mahōtpāta śāntyartham) and its meteoric shower (Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham) . On the king's asterism day, the king had donated a village named Siṁgāpura, located in Kelajhā sīma of Hastināvati Vēṁṭhe as an _agrahāra to a brāhmaṇa named Liṁgaṇārya hailing from Kaḍiyalapura (probably identifiable with the present village Kaḍiyapulanka, Galividu mandalam, Kadapa district, A.P),a Vedic scholar well-versed in the field of astronomy.

It is traditionally believed that the appearance of a comet and meteoric shower would bring misfortune and calamities and hence śāntipūja was performed to nullify the evil effects

The appearance of a comet, the meteoric shower it causes and the traditional beliefs associated with it is well described in this inscription by the term Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham dattavān vibhuḥ i.e., in order to pacify the calamities that may arise due to the illuminating comets and meteoric shower on the king and his kingdom,this grant was made

In 1456 C.E.,from several historical records from all over the world it is known that the appearance of Halley's comet was dreaded and its appearance created widespread fear and was interpreted as a bad omen in various parts of the world.

Director(Epigraphy),Archaeological Survey of India