Palm leaf manuscript belonging to 1474 CE found

Kadiri (Sathya Sai district): Inscriptions were typically written on stones, temple walls or copper plates. It is remarkably unusual to find inscriptions on palm leaves.

A palm leaf manuscript inscription (replica) dating back to 1474 CE and detailing Sri Veeranjaneya Swamy temple at Palapati Dinna,13 km from Kadiri in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh was found, according to a press release issued by historian MyNaa Swamy.

Patra Ramakrishna of Kadiri, has requested the historian to decipher and analyse the inscription. This inscription consists of two thick palm leaves stored in a bamboo box. One is small and the other is large. Patra Ramakrishna, belongs to the Patra caste and is a native of Palapati Dinna village in Nallacheruvu mandal.

He found that the inscription was written by Praudha Devaraya II, the son of Virupaksha Raya II, from the Sangama dynasty, who ruled the Vijayanagara Empire. The inscription was written in favour of Somi Naidu, the chief (Guru) of the Patra caste on Magha Suddha Dwadasi, Thursday, in the Jaya Nama year of 1474 CE, that Praudha Devaraya appointed Somi Naidu as a clan chief (Guru) in the Kadiri Kutagulla area of Eramanchinadu in Penukonda Rajyam (kingdom). Patra Somi Naidu has to look after the management of Siva temple and Veeranjaneya Temple at Palapati Dinna, he added.

Siva Prasasti: The Siva Prasasti Palm Leaf(replica) is a large document and containing Slokas about Lord Siva as Bhairaveswara. The upper part of the document features the most beautiful colour images of Bhairava, Sivalinga, and Anjaneyaswamy.

The text is in Telugu and Sanskrit languages. Chandragiri Mallikarjuna Swamy Temple near Tirupati and Veeranjaneya Swamy Temple at Palapati Dinna were figured in the text. He mentions that the Siva Prasasti document details the rituals and prasadams of Veeranjaneya Swamy,Revanasiddha Guruswamy etc.,.

Siva Prasasti manuscript was written by Adinarayana Swamy and copy was prepared by Ranganayani Narasimha Nayudu.