Epigraphia Indica Vol 11

Author(s): E Hultzsch
Publisher: Archaeological Survey of India

Page 28

No. 1.]
AN INSCRIPTION AT DEVAGERI.
much, if at all, before A.D. 975, and that we may yet meet with instances of the earlier type there running well into the eleventh century.
We turn now to the eastern parts of Southern India, taking the matter up from the records of the Eastern Chalukya kings, in which series, again, we now have available various inscriptions, presenting the vowel in question and covering the period in which we are interested, which were not known to Professor Bübler. There are two records of this series which I have not been able to examine : namely, the Ederu plates or Gontara grant of Amma I, of the period A.D. 918-25, South-Ind. Inscrs., vol. 1, p. 39 (no plate), where we have the vowel twice, in lines 38, 54; and the Nandamapandi grant of Rajaraja I, dated in his thirty-second year, A.D. 105354, ante, vol. 4, p. 303 (no plate): here the vowel occurs twelve times, in lines 10, 55, 72, 75, 80-87. Setting them aside, from an examination, either in the published plates or in inkimpressions, of all the other records of the whole series down to A.D. 1143, I find the position to be as follows:
The record on the (?) Masulipatam plates, the Trandaparu grant, of Vijayaditya IIT, of the period A.D. 844-88, Epi. Ind., vol. 5, p. 123, with plate showing lines 1 to 15 and 26 to 30, contains the vowel twice, in itthams, line 18, and iva, line 35, and presents it in both cases in the earlier type, but in the transitional form with the right side of the upper part continued down to touch the right component of the lower part The published facsimile does not include these two passages. I have given this form, from iva, line 85, as illustration F. on p. 9 above.
The earliest instance of the later type from this part of Southern India is found in the record on the (?) Masulipatam plates, the Akulamandandu grant, of Chalukya-Bhima II, of the period A.D. 934-45, ante, vol. 5, p. 135, with a plate showing lines 1 to 8 and 17 to 25: in this record the vowel occurs only once, in itthams, line 22, the last akshara but one, given as illustration O. on p. 8 above: the upper part of it was plainly formed by two separate strokes instead of one continuous movement. The other records of the same period show the earlier type: the Diggubapro grant on the Paganavaram' plates, Ind. Ant., vol. 13, p. 213, with plates, has it three times, in lines 15 and 40 (see note 1 on this page); the Kodhatalli grant on the Kolavennu plates, South-Ind. Inscrs., vol. 1, p. 44 (no plates), also gives it three times, in indurs, line 19, itham- (for ittham-), line 22, and iti, line 23; and in the instance in line 23 the components of the lower part of the letter were omitted, and the ends of the apper part were brought down to the bottom line of the writings
The records of the next period, the reign of Vijayaditya-Amma II, A.D. 945-70. shew only the earlier type, as follows:4-The Masulipatam plates or Påmbarru grant, ante, vol. 5, p. 140, with a plate showing lines 1 to 8, and 17 to 24: once, in indani., line 25, the last akshara but two. The Elavarra grant, Ind. Ant., vol. 12, p. 91, with plates; five times, in lines
His limiting instances of the two types were taken from this same series of records. His latest instance of the earlier type in that given in his plate VIII, line 3, col. V ; and it seems to be the i of ih ajate, line 40, No. 7 (side iii , last line), in the Paganavaram plates or Diggubartu grant of Chalukya-Bbimo II, of the period A.D. 934-45. Ind. Ant., vol. 13, p. 213, with plates: this record presents the vowel again in ira, line 15, No. 14, and io atipūtam, line 40, the last akshara but four. His earliest instance of the later type is that given in his plato VIII, line 3, col. VI, from the Korumelli grant, Ind. Ast., vol. 14, p. 50, with plates, which gives the date of the anointment of Rajaraja I in A.D. 1022, and may be of any date from that time up to about A.D. 1063: this record presenta the vowel six times, in lines 11, 47, 50, 56, 63, 103: Professor Bäbler's illustration seems to be from it. line 11, No. 5.
? For the slightly earlier instances from Bombay and Mysore, see pp. 11, 12, above. * Compare similar instances in the Kalucbumbarru grant: see p. 16 below.
• Two of them do not present tbe vowel at all: the Padamkaluru grant, on plates now in the Britisb Museum, Ind. Ant., vol. 7, p. 15; and the Tänderu grant on the Vandram plates, sale, vol. 9, p. 138.
Profesor Kjolborn was in doubt as to the type of the letter here: see loo. oit., p. 139, note 4. But I am able to say, from clearer impressions than those which he had, that it is certainly of the earlier type, with damage of the right component of the lower part.