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No. 31.)
A NOTE ON THE BALASORE PLATE OF BHANU[DATTA).
239
TEXT.1 1.... hārājādh[i]r[@]ja-sr[i*)-(P*]a .... 2.... h[a]r[**lifa*]dhiraja-sri-Narasirnha(guptas]-tasya puttras-tat-pādanuddh[y]
t[o]. 3...rājādhiraja-bri-Kumāraguptas-tasya puttras-tat-pädānuddhyāto Ma[hā]4. . . . nnah-Paramabhāgavato Mahārājādhirāja-sri-Vishnug[u][ptaḥll*].
No. 31.-A NOTE ON THE BALASORE PLATE OF BHANU[DATTA).
BY R. K. GHOSHAL, M.A., CALCUTTA. In a previous issue of this journal," the late Mr. N. G. Majumdar published four copper-plate insoriptions belonging to three different chiefs who ruled over the region now covered by the Balasore District of Orissa. One of these speaks of a 'king' (Mahārāja) called Bhanudatta and is dated in the year 5 on the 17th day of Phālguna. One more copper-plate grant, however, belonging apparently to the same personage, had been discovered, some time earlier, but somehow it escaped the notice of Mr. Majumdar. This plate was turned up in course of ploughing a field near the modern town of Balasore in Orissa. The owner of the holding, the late Mr. Ziauddin, lately Lecturer at the Visva-Bhārati of Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, made over the plate to Mr. Haridas Mitra who published a paper on the same in 1935%.
This is, in common with the Sörö plates, & single sheet of copper bearing inscription on both sides. It measures 7.2" by 3.7". The record is complete in eighteen lines. A seal, which appears to have been soldered on to the central left margin of the plate, is reported to bave been destroyed.
The inscription is one of Mahapratīhara, Maharāja, Mahāsdmanta Bhānu. It records & gift which was issued from the royal encampment (vāsaka) at Sarőpha, of the village of Nandirata' to four Brāhmaṇas, named Priyamitrasvămin, Vātamitrasvāmin, Dhruvamitrasvămin and Arungamitrasvāmin, belonging to the Vatsa gora and to the Vājasanēya charana (of the Yajurvēda). Before its formal sanction, the gift was announced before a number of officials entrusted with administration of the district (vishaya) called Sarēphāhāra. The grant was written by the Sandhivigrahika Arupadatta and heated' (tapitar) by the Pudānalaka Pratishthitachandra. The date given (in figures only) is Year 5, the 4th day of Mārgasirsha.
There can be no doubt that the present record belongs to Mahārāja Bhānudatta already known to us from the Sörö inscription. The general character of the plates, the
1 From the original as well as from excellent photographs which I owe to the kindness of the Director General of Archæology in India.
. Above, Vol. XXIII, pp. 197 ff. and plates. • Ibid., p. 203.
• The exact findspot has not been mentioned. One may however presume that it cannot have been very far from the place where the Sörð plates were found.
• Indian Historical Quarterly, Vol. XI, pp. 611 ff. and plato. • Mitra roads Sagadha.
The name of the village appears to be somewhat damaged. I onnnot however 100 Bandiroka ruml by Mr. Mitaa (I. 8. 9., Vol XI, p. 621).
