A Vijayapura-based researcher has deciphered an undocumented 17th century stone inscription in Benakanatti village of Bagalkot district.
A.L.Nagur, researcher from SECAB PU College, has documented the writing on a stone slab that is dated 1627 CE or 1549 Shali Vahana Shake as per the Indian Lunar calendar.
Prof. Nagur describes the three-line inscription as a rare find as it is by non-State agencies. “It was not commissioned by any king. That is why it is rare. There are not many stone inscriptions about private individuals,” he said.
Written in medieval Kannada script, it states that Veeranna Gouda, son of Giriyappa Gouda, began laying the foundation stone for a temple in the village. The temple is presumed to be the Maruti temple on whose premises the inscription was found. The date of the inscription is November 17, 1627. This was commissioned in the reign of Mohammad Adilshah, who ruled from Bijapur, around 60 km away. This shows that though the language of administration was Persian-Urdu, the language used by the common people was Kannada, the researcher said.
