Bhubaneswar: Epigraphists from ‘Kalinga Epigraphical Research Society’ (K.E.R.S.) have deciphered a 304 years old stone inscription in Jatani block of Khurda district. The inscription was found engraved on a stone panel over the southern entrance into the Mukhasala of Kedareswara Mahadev temple in Uparabasta village near Jatani town. Members of K.E.R.S. Bishnu Mohan Adhikari, Bikram Kumar Nayak, Mihir Bahinipati & Deepak Kumar Nayak have jointly deciphered this inscription having significant historical imprtance.
According to history researcher Deepak Kumar Nayak, the writing in the inscription is in Odia script & language. There are total four lines of writings found in the inscription, out of which few characters in the fourth line remain under color plastering & are unreadable. We have deciphered the writings as below::
1st Line- Shree kedaraswara debanka deula harekrushna deba
2nd Line- nka pancha anke bipra madhusodana santara gadhaile
3rd Line- Sree Gopinatha debanka teeni anke madhuharichine
4th Line- deula mukhasalini gadhi_ka___________
As per the inscription, the Kedareswara Mahadev temple of Uparabasta village was constructed by one Madhusudana Samantarai in the 5th regnal year of Harekrushna Deva. The Mukhasala of the temple was constructed by Madhu Harichandana in the 3rd regnal year of Gopinath Deva, said Mr. Nayak.
Bishnu Mohana Adhikari, an epigraphist & member of K.E.R.S. suggests that the kings mentioned in the inscription belonged to the Bhoi dynasty of Khurda. Historian Kedarnath Mahapatra had given details on the anka year used by these Kings. From his work ‘Khurda Itihasa‘ it is known that the 5th anka of King Harekrushna Deva fell in the year 1718 CE & 3rd anka of King Gopinath Deva corresponds to year 1720 CE. So it can be said that the temple of Kedareswara is 306 years old whereas the Mukhasala was built 2 years later. From this inscription the structure and usage of Odia language 300 years back is known to us, said Adhikari.
