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Mehrauli Pillar Inscription

Mehrauli Iron Pillar:

• The Mehrauli Iron Pillar was originally situated on a hill near the Beas River.
• It was erected by Chandragupta Vikramaditya in the 3rd to 4th century CE, dedicated to Vishnu, and later transported to Delhi.
• The pillar showcases remarkable metallurgical skill as it is rust-free.
• At the top of the pillar is an idol of Garuda.
• The Mehrauli inscription indicates that Chandragupta fought against enemies in Bengal and led a campaign into Punjab.
• During the Gupta age, the pillar also held astrological significance.
• Standing at a height of 24 feet, the Iron Pillar is located within the Qutub Complex, near the Qutub Minar and in front of the Quwwatul Mosque.
• The pillar features verses in Sanskrit written in the shardulvikridita metre.

Banskhera Inscription

• An inscription from AD 628 provides details about:
• Harsha granting a village to two Brahmins.
• Rajyavardhana's victory over the Malwa king Devagupta.
• The murder of Devagupta by Sasanka.
• The Banskhera copper plate traces Harsha's ancestry and features the signature of Harshavardhana, the renowned king of the Harsha Dynasty.
• Harsha's signature means: "This is the signature of me, the great king of kings, Shri Harsha."
• The inscription also describes Harsha as a devotee of Shiva.

Allahabad Pillar Inscription (Prayag Prashasti)

• The pillar is an Ashoka Stambha and features Ashokan inscriptions in Brahmi script.
• These inscriptions contain the same six edicts found on other pillars.
• The pillar also bears later inscriptions from the time of Samudragupta, written in Sanskrit by the poet and minister Harishena in Gupta script.
• These inscriptions praise Samudragupta and list his political and military achievements.
• Additionally, the stone has inscriptions from the Mughal emperor Jahangir, detailing Samudragupta's conquests in both North and South India, the boundaries of the Gupta Empire, and his diplomatic relations.
• The title of Kaviraja mentioned in the inscriptions indicates Samudragupta's role as a patron of poetic art and suggests that he was a poet himself.

Bhitari Pillar Inscription

• Location: Ghazipur district, Uttar Pradesh
• Significance: Helps in understanding the timeline and chronology of various Gupta rulers.
• Content: Mentions the conflict between Skandagupta and two groups: the Pushyamitras and the Hunas.

Mandsaur Inscription

• Written in Sanskrit from the early 6th century.
• Commemorate the victory of Malwa king Yasodharman over the Hun king Mihirakula.

Mandsaur Inscription of Kumar Gupta:

• Dated to the 5th century.
• Records the migration of silk weavers from Lata (Gujarat) to Dasapura.
• Some weavers adopted different occupations, while those who continued weaving formed a guild.
• The guild of silk weavers built a sun temple in 437 AD.

Eran Inscription

Gupta Inscriptions:

• Epigraphic inscription of Samudragupta indicates the annexation of part of western Malwa by Chandragupta.
• Inscription at Eran, dated 510 AD, provides the earliest concrete evidence of Sati.

Temples:

• Vishnu shrines from the Gupta period discovered, including the famous Varah Temple.

Cultural Phases:

• Early Phase: Malwa culture.
• Later Phase: Black and Red Ware (BRW) and iron.

Archaeological Features:

• Mud fortification wall and moat identified.
• Colossal bear, a zoomorphic incarnation of Vishnu, found.

Coins:

• Punch-marked coins and coins of Ramagupta discovered.
• Coins associated with the Nagas also found.

Seals:

• Seal bearing the figure of Gaja Lakshmi from the Gupta period is a notable find.

Besnagar Incription (Vidisha/ Bhilsa)

• Vidisha is an ancient city located near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.
• The city was originally known as Besnagar and Bhilsa but was renamed Vidisha in 1956.
• Besnagar holds historical significance in Buddhist, Jain, and Brahmanical literature.

Heliodorus Pillar:

• The Heliodorus Pillar, also known as the Besnagar Pillar or Garuda Pillar, is a monolithic, free-standing stone column.
• It was erected around 113 BCE by Heliodorus, a Greek ambassador, on behalf of the Indo-Greek king to the court of the Shunga king.
• The pillar is topped by a sculpture of Garuda and features an inscription stating that it was raised in honour of the god Vasudeva by Heliodorus.

Nearby Attractions:

• The Udayagiri Caves are located south of Vidisha.
• The ancient Buddhist complex of Sanchi is also situated nearby.
• Remains of a large temple from the late Paramara period, known as Bijamamandal, have been found in the area.

Junagarh Inscription

• Junagarh district in Gujarat, situated at the base of the Girnar hills.
• Contains major rock edicts of Ashoka carved on black granite in Brahmi script.
• Inscriptions added around 150 CE by Rudradaman I, a Saka ruler of Malwa, are found on the same rock.
• The earliest Sanskrit inscription mentions the renovation of Sudarshana Lake, originally built by Pusyagupta, a provincial governor under Chandragupta.
• Another inscription dating from about 450 CE refers to Skandagupta.
• Girnar is also home to numerous Jain and Hindu temples.

Nasik Inscription

• Nasik, located in Maharashtra, is known for its rich Chalcolithic and Neolithic cultures.
• The region is historically significant due to the achievements of Gautamiputra Satkarni, as mentioned in ancient texts.
• Gautamiputra Satkarni's achievements were recorded by his mother, Gautami Balasri.
• The inscriptions detail the boundaries of his kingdom, his victory over the Saka King Nahapana, and the restoration of Satavahana prestige.
• Nasik is associated with Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) and was strategically located on an ancient trade route connecting western Indian ports with northern and southern Indian cities.
• The site was an important settlement during the Saka-Satavahana period, approximately between 200 BC and 200 AD.
• The region is also home to Buddhist rock-cut caves that exhibit a wooden style of construction, including Chaitya halls and viharas of Hinayana Buddhism.
• The façade of the Chaityagriha is intricately carved, featuring reliefs of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and female deities.
• These structures were patronized by local kings, merchants, artisans, and the Satavahana kings.

Nanaghat Inscription

Nanaghat is a mountain pass located in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra. It was once part of an ancient trading route and is renowned for a significant cave containing Sanskrit inscriptions written in Brahmi script.

The inscriptions at Nanaghat provide valuable information about the Satavahana empire and are attributed to Naganika, a queen of the Satavahana dynasty and the wife of king Satakarni. 

• Naganika is believed to have been the queen mother who commissioned the cave after her husband’s death. 
• The inscriptions are notable for linking Vedic and Vaishnavism deities, specifically mentioning Samkarsana (Balarama) and Vasudeva (Krishna), which indicates the prevalence of the Bhagavata tradition during the Satavahana dynasty. 
• The mention of Satakarni I as “Dhakhinapatha-pathi” suggests his control over the Deccan region. 

Hathigumpha Inscription (Elephant Cave inscription)

Inscription:

• Inscribed by Jain king Kharavela of the Kalinga kingdom during the 2nd century BCE.
• Faces towards the Rock Edicts of Ashoka at Dhauli, situated nearby.
• Consists of seventeen lines in Prakrit incised in a Brahmi script on a natural cavern (Hathigumpha) of Udayagiri hill.

Talks about:

• Military conquests of Kharavela.
• His orientation towards Jainism.
• His construction works.
• His liberal religious spirit.
• His favors to art like music and dance.
• His retrieving an image of a Jina.

Mentions:

• The military expeditions carried by Kharavela.
• Shows his Jaina belief as the inscription starts with the Jain Namokar Mantra.

Aihole Inscription

• Aihole, located in the Bijapur district of Karnataka, is renowned for its rich heritage of ancient temples and is considered the first capital of the Western Chalukyas before it was moved to Badami.
• The site is famous for its early examples of Chalukyan architecture, with numerous stone temples dating back to the 5th century CE. Aihole is home to around seventy temples, among which four stand out as particularly significant.
• The Ladh Khan temple is a flat-roofed structure featuring a pillared hall.
• The Durga temple is notable for its resemblance to a Buddhist Chaitya hall.
• Other important temples include the Huchimalligudi temple and the ancient Jain temple at Meguti.

Caves of Aihole:

• Aihole also boasts several rock-cut caves, including the Ravana Phadi cave, which contains rock-cut temples, a Jain cave temple, and a Buddhist Chaitya cave, a partly rock-cut structure.
• The Aihole inscription, found in the Meguti Temple, is a significant historical artifact composed by Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakesin Satyasraya (Pulakeshin II) of the Badami Chalukya dynasty in 634 A.D.
• Written in Sanskrit and old Karnataka script, the inscription provides a detailed account of Pulakesin II’s exploits against neighboring kingdoms, including his victories over the Pallavas and Harshavardhana.

Kudumiyanmalai Inscription

• The Pallava inscription at Kudumiyan Malai talks about a famous musician named Rudracharya.
• This inscription is engraved on the rocks of a cave temple.
• It is well-known in the music world because it provides the musical notes for seven classical ragas.
• The inscription dates back to the 7th century, likely created by Mahendra Pallava.

Uttaramerur Inscription

Background:

• The settlement was originally established by Brahmins and later recognized as a brahamdeya village by Pallava king Nandivarman II in the 8th century CE.
• The region has a rich history, with inscriptions from the Chola period providing insights into local governance.

Chola Village Administration:

• The Chola village administration, particularly the Sabha (assembly of Brahmin villagers), is highlighted in inscriptions found in the region.
• These inscriptions detail the autonomy enjoyed by villages during the Chola period and the functioning of local governance.

Qualifications for Sabha Membership:

• To be eligible for the Sabha, individuals needed to meet certain criteria, including:
• Land ownership (with exceptions for those knowledgeable in Vedic texts).
• Age (between 35 and 70 years).
• Knowledge of Vedic texts (mantras and Brahmanas).
• Business acumen and being virtuous.

Selection Procedure:

• The selection of representatives for the Sabha was done through a draw of lots from eligible candidates.
• The village was divided into 30 wards, and each ward would select a representative whose name was written on a palm leaf ticket.
• Priests conducted the draw of lots in the assembly's meeting place.

Disqualification Criteria:

• Several factors could disqualify an individual and their family from serving on a committee, including:
• Failure to submit accounts while serving on a committee.
• Committing one of the great sins (such as killing a Brahman, drinking alcohol, theft, or adultery).
• Association with outcastes or consuming forbidden foods.

Lumbini Pillar Inscription

• Location: Nepal
• Script: Ancient Brahmi
• Description:. royal inscription commemorating Emperor Ashoka's visit to the birthplace of Buddha.