500-yr-old inscription found in utter neglect in Palnadu

Vijayawada (NTR district): An inscription dated back to Srikrishnadevaraya's rule was found in utter neglect at Bellamkondavaripalem village, Macharla mandal in Palnadu district and cries for attention.

Dr E Sivanagireddy, archaeologist and CEO, Pleach Infia Foundation, visited the village as part of the heritage awareness programme, 'Preserve Heritage for Posterity,' and noticed the inscription lying amidst the debris and sunken into the ground concealing the bottom portion of the 23-line Telugu text.

Dr Reddy briefed the villagers on the contents of it which records that certain Sankanayani Baswanayudu has gifted Gundala and Malyala villages lying towards the south of Nagulavaram village in Nagarjunakonda Sima (an administrative division of the empire) as Nayankaram (towards his military services rendered to the Vijayanagara empire) by Saluva Timmarusu, the Prime Minister of emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya and Baswanayudu donated the revenue of the two villages and the ferry at the river Krishna facilitating to cross the river to both the banks to the Raghunatha temple of Gundala on in 1516 AD (when Krishnadevaraya was ruling from Vijayanagara).

Sivanagireddy said the inscription is important as it reveals many socio, political, economic and religious terms of the 16th century very much useful for the research scholars working on local history.

Dr Reddy adds that there are symbols of Sankham, Chakram, Sun and moon on the top of the inscription revealing the Vaishnava affiliation of the donor. Sivanagireddy sensitised the villagers on the need to protect and preserve the 500-years-old inscription for posterity by shifting it to the local school or temple for safety and security for which they responded positively.