Inscriptions play an important role in revealing several aspects of political, social, cultural, ... more Inscriptions play an important role in revealing several aspects of political, social, cultural, economic and religious history of an age. Often it helps in absolutely dating the object or structure on which it is engraved and also in determining the antiquity of a site. The present paper examines seven inscriptions written in Marāṭhī language, engraved in the temples and its premises at Taḻegāon Ḍhamḍhere, Shirur taluk, Pune district, Maharastra, which gives reveals the exact date of constructing the temple and some social aspects as well.
This paper examines a recently discovered undated late medieval stone inscription found from the ... more This paper examines a recently discovered undated late medieval stone inscription found from the village of Kumarkhat in Madhubani district, Bihar.
Tribute to Dr. P. V. Parabrahma Sastry, the doyen among the epigraphists and numismatists, in the... more Tribute to Dr. P. V. Parabrahma Sastry, the doyen among the epigraphists and numismatists, in the form of a brief write-up, based on his articles published in the volumes of the journal of The Epigraphical Society of India.
Indapai or Indpe is a historically significant village situated at a distance of 5 km to the sou... more Indapai or Indpe is a historically significant village situated at a distance of 5 km to the south of Jamui, the district headquarters in Bihar. The present paper highlights four images of Buddhist faith bearing inscription on its pedestal, preserved in the Chandrasekhar Singh Museum at Jamui. Among them, one can be dated to 5th century C. E., two to 6th century C.E. and one inscription to 7th century C.E., on palaeographical grounds.
Prefacing History_Text and Context: Essays in honour of Prof. Ratneshwar Mishra, 2021
Vaisali, located about 60 km north from Patna was one of the oldest and largest cities of India i... more Vaisali, located about 60 km north from Patna was one of the oldest and largest cities of India in early historical period. Archaeological excavations unearthed ancient remains from Northern Black Polished ware to post-Gupta period. A number of seals, sealings and tokens belonging to Maurya, Sunga, Kushana, Gupta and post-Gupta periods was also discovered from the excavations.The aim of this paper is to place before scholars, a unique brass seal having a legend written in Bhaikshuki script (now preserved in Archaeological Museum, Vaishali). From the available published sources, so far only 15 Bhaikshuki inscriptions are found and for the first time a seal with a legend written in this script is noticed. Thus this seal is a rare of this kind and has great archaeological and epigraphical importance.
Kāliñjara is situated in southwestern corner of District Banda in U.P. To the South of the town l... more Kāliñjara is situated in southwestern corner of District Banda in U.P. To the South of the town lies the famous fortress of Kāliñjara on the hill of the same name. Many inscriptions have been discovered here by scholars at different points of time. A few recently discovered inscriptions, one among which takes the epigraphic evidence of the history of this place to the Kuśana period, were found by the Authors. These are being described here.
The paper discusses about the sealings found from Rukministhan in Nalanda district of Bihar. Base... more The paper discusses about the sealings found from Rukministhan in Nalanda district of Bihar. Based on the palaeography of the inscription on the sealings, they are dated between 5th to 7th century A.D. The script used are Brahmi of 5th century A.D. and Early Nagari of 6th-7th century A.D. Based on the content of the inscription the sealings are categorized under three groups (1) Personal sealings (2) Monastic sealings and (3) Votive tablets.
The paper aims to highlight the religious interaction between the Buddhists in Srilanka and India... more The paper aims to highlight the religious interaction between the Buddhists in Srilanka and India in 9th century A.D. as gleaned from an inscription found from Ghuriyavan, Gaya district, Bihar. The inscription is written in Sanskrit language and Siddhamatrika characters.
Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2019
Inscriptions form the most reliable source for the reconstruction of history. In the present pape... more Inscriptions form the most reliable source for the reconstruction of history. In the present paper the authors have discussed nine inscriptions, which were carved on the back side of the bronze images of Jaina Tirthankara. These inscriptions have its own importance because these are the only inscribed bronze images belonging to Jainism so far discovered in the region. Although two of the Hansi hoard images are inscribed with few words only. All these bronzes belong to the Medieval period (12 th-13 th Century A.D.). During this period massive socio-political change took place in the region and these inscriptions can throw light on the various aspects of history of that time.
Mithila region occupied an important position in the socio-religious history of India through th... more Mithila region occupied an important position in the socio-religious history of India through the ages. Nourished as it was by trade routes this land saw varied influences across the time. Traditionally Mithila region is surrounded by river Gandaka in the west, in south by great river Ganga, in east by river Kosi and in north by the mountain of great Himalayan range. Both Gautam Buddha and Mahavira are said to have spent some time in Mithila. The ancient Mithila covered in its present districts of Araria, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Khagaria, Madhepura, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saharasa, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Supaul and Vaishali districts of Bihar and Dhanusha district of Nepal. A fairly good number of inscribed materials in the form of stone sculptures, pillars, seals, sealings are found in the region. During the course of exploration various inscriptions has been found, among them some were still un-noticed and not properly studied. An attempt is made here to discuss these inscriptions.
The present paper will focus on the iconic and non-iconic aspect of the pillar made and erected d... more The present paper will focus on the iconic and non-iconic aspect of the pillar made and erected during the times of Maurya and Gupta period like its raw material, purpose, theme, art, context and nature of epigraphical data. Special attention is given to the crowning capital figure. The study shows that while Asokan pillars are all erected by the royalty, the Gupta counterparts patronized by the subordinates and individuals as well. There is also a variety and grandeur in the shaping of the pillar and crowning figures in Gupta period. Whereas the Asokan pillars propagates the law of morality, the Gupta pillars have divergent purpose viz. to proclaim the victory of the ruler and making them immortal (Kirti Sthambha), in memory of a person or event (Smaraka Sthambha) and in honour of God for attaining merit (Dvaja Sthambha).
The three Bhaikshuki inscriptions was brought to the notice of the Epigraphy Branch, ASI, Mysore ... more The three Bhaikshuki inscriptions was brought to the notice of the Epigraphy Branch, ASI, Mysore by Excavation Branch III, Patna. Two are from Uren in Lakhisari district, Bihar and one is from the adjoining village of Manjhiyavan. They are in Bhaikshuki script, datable variously between 9th-10th century A.D. and Pali language. So far only twelve inscriptions, engraved in this script are found and thus the present discovery forms a valuable addition to the corpus of Bhaikshuki inscriptions, making a total of 15.
Heritage-Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2018
Jainism, popularly known as Jain Dharma is a spiritual, religious and philosophical tradition of ... more Jainism, popularly known as Jain Dharma is a spiritual, religious and philosophical tradition of Indian origin and most of the scholars agree that its antiquity goes back to Vedic times. Archaeological remains of Jainism are found in most of the Indian states and Himachal Pradesh was also an important centre of Jainism during past as it is evident from the discovery of many sculptures and antiquities from Himachal Pradesh. Recently a number of sculptures were recovered near Kangra fort, among them a beautiful inscribed sculpture of Rishabhanatha was also recovered which is discussed in the present paper.
In Tondaimandalam region, sculptural art has witnessed a tremendous growth in Pallava period (cir... more In Tondaimandalam region, sculptural art has witnessed a tremendous growth in Pallava period (circa 610 C.E. - 913 C.E.) involving innovative ideas, reflective of the then socio-cultural, religious and economic factors. Study on Pallava sculptures fascinated art connoisseurs and historians since the last few decades of the 18th century C.E., when for the first time William Chambers has made an attempt to describe the monuments of Mamallapuram. However, most of the works dealt with iconographical and architectural features, giving very little importance to the cultural factors hidden in the sculptures. Among the various objects depicted in the sculptural art which reflects the material culture of those times, the study of thrones, which symbolizes status, dignity and identification of the person occupying it, forms an interesting subject. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the various types of thrones depicted in the sculptural art of Pallava period, which might have been actually in usage in those times. The present study helped in identifying ten types of thrones, on the basis of its shape, dimension and other aesthetic features. As foot-rest is also part of a throne, it is also studied.
Inscriptions play an important role in revealing several aspects of political, social, cultural, ... more Inscriptions play an important role in revealing several aspects of political, social, cultural, economic and religious history of an age. Often it helps in absolutely dating the object or structure on which it is engraved and also in determining the antiquity of a site. The present paper examines seven inscriptions written in Marāṭhī language, engraved in the temples and its premises at Taḻegāon Ḍhamḍhere, Shirur taluk, Pune district, Maharastra, which gives reveals the exact date of constructing the temple and some social aspects as well.
This paper examines a recently discovered undated late medieval stone inscription found from the ... more This paper examines a recently discovered undated late medieval stone inscription found from the village of Kumarkhat in Madhubani district, Bihar.
Tribute to Dr. P. V. Parabrahma Sastry, the doyen among the epigraphists and numismatists, in the... more Tribute to Dr. P. V. Parabrahma Sastry, the doyen among the epigraphists and numismatists, in the form of a brief write-up, based on his articles published in the volumes of the journal of The Epigraphical Society of India.
Indapai or Indpe is a historically significant village situated at a distance of 5 km to the sou... more Indapai or Indpe is a historically significant village situated at a distance of 5 km to the south of Jamui, the district headquarters in Bihar. The present paper highlights four images of Buddhist faith bearing inscription on its pedestal, preserved in the Chandrasekhar Singh Museum at Jamui. Among them, one can be dated to 5th century C. E., two to 6th century C.E. and one inscription to 7th century C.E., on palaeographical grounds.
Prefacing History_Text and Context: Essays in honour of Prof. Ratneshwar Mishra, 2021
Vaisali, located about 60 km north from Patna was one of the oldest and largest cities of India i... more Vaisali, located about 60 km north from Patna was one of the oldest and largest cities of India in early historical period. Archaeological excavations unearthed ancient remains from Northern Black Polished ware to post-Gupta period. A number of seals, sealings and tokens belonging to Maurya, Sunga, Kushana, Gupta and post-Gupta periods was also discovered from the excavations.The aim of this paper is to place before scholars, a unique brass seal having a legend written in Bhaikshuki script (now preserved in Archaeological Museum, Vaishali). From the available published sources, so far only 15 Bhaikshuki inscriptions are found and for the first time a seal with a legend written in this script is noticed. Thus this seal is a rare of this kind and has great archaeological and epigraphical importance.
Kāliñjara is situated in southwestern corner of District Banda in U.P. To the South of the town l... more Kāliñjara is situated in southwestern corner of District Banda in U.P. To the South of the town lies the famous fortress of Kāliñjara on the hill of the same name. Many inscriptions have been discovered here by scholars at different points of time. A few recently discovered inscriptions, one among which takes the epigraphic evidence of the history of this place to the Kuśana period, were found by the Authors. These are being described here.
The paper discusses about the sealings found from Rukministhan in Nalanda district of Bihar. Base... more The paper discusses about the sealings found from Rukministhan in Nalanda district of Bihar. Based on the palaeography of the inscription on the sealings, they are dated between 5th to 7th century A.D. The script used are Brahmi of 5th century A.D. and Early Nagari of 6th-7th century A.D. Based on the content of the inscription the sealings are categorized under three groups (1) Personal sealings (2) Monastic sealings and (3) Votive tablets.
The paper aims to highlight the religious interaction between the Buddhists in Srilanka and India... more The paper aims to highlight the religious interaction between the Buddhists in Srilanka and India in 9th century A.D. as gleaned from an inscription found from Ghuriyavan, Gaya district, Bihar. The inscription is written in Sanskrit language and Siddhamatrika characters.
Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2019
Inscriptions form the most reliable source for the reconstruction of history. In the present pape... more Inscriptions form the most reliable source for the reconstruction of history. In the present paper the authors have discussed nine inscriptions, which were carved on the back side of the bronze images of Jaina Tirthankara. These inscriptions have its own importance because these are the only inscribed bronze images belonging to Jainism so far discovered in the region. Although two of the Hansi hoard images are inscribed with few words only. All these bronzes belong to the Medieval period (12 th-13 th Century A.D.). During this period massive socio-political change took place in the region and these inscriptions can throw light on the various aspects of history of that time.
Mithila region occupied an important position in the socio-religious history of India through th... more Mithila region occupied an important position in the socio-religious history of India through the ages. Nourished as it was by trade routes this land saw varied influences across the time. Traditionally Mithila region is surrounded by river Gandaka in the west, in south by great river Ganga, in east by river Kosi and in north by the mountain of great Himalayan range. Both Gautam Buddha and Mahavira are said to have spent some time in Mithila. The ancient Mithila covered in its present districts of Araria, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Khagaria, Madhepura, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saharasa, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Supaul and Vaishali districts of Bihar and Dhanusha district of Nepal. A fairly good number of inscribed materials in the form of stone sculptures, pillars, seals, sealings are found in the region. During the course of exploration various inscriptions has been found, among them some were still un-noticed and not properly studied. An attempt is made here to discuss these inscriptions.
The present paper will focus on the iconic and non-iconic aspect of the pillar made and erected d... more The present paper will focus on the iconic and non-iconic aspect of the pillar made and erected during the times of Maurya and Gupta period like its raw material, purpose, theme, art, context and nature of epigraphical data. Special attention is given to the crowning capital figure. The study shows that while Asokan pillars are all erected by the royalty, the Gupta counterparts patronized by the subordinates and individuals as well. There is also a variety and grandeur in the shaping of the pillar and crowning figures in Gupta period. Whereas the Asokan pillars propagates the law of morality, the Gupta pillars have divergent purpose viz. to proclaim the victory of the ruler and making them immortal (Kirti Sthambha), in memory of a person or event (Smaraka Sthambha) and in honour of God for attaining merit (Dvaja Sthambha).
The three Bhaikshuki inscriptions was brought to the notice of the Epigraphy Branch, ASI, Mysore ... more The three Bhaikshuki inscriptions was brought to the notice of the Epigraphy Branch, ASI, Mysore by Excavation Branch III, Patna. Two are from Uren in Lakhisari district, Bihar and one is from the adjoining village of Manjhiyavan. They are in Bhaikshuki script, datable variously between 9th-10th century A.D. and Pali language. So far only twelve inscriptions, engraved in this script are found and thus the present discovery forms a valuable addition to the corpus of Bhaikshuki inscriptions, making a total of 15.
Heritage-Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2018
Jainism, popularly known as Jain Dharma is a spiritual, religious and philosophical tradition of ... more Jainism, popularly known as Jain Dharma is a spiritual, religious and philosophical tradition of Indian origin and most of the scholars agree that its antiquity goes back to Vedic times. Archaeological remains of Jainism are found in most of the Indian states and Himachal Pradesh was also an important centre of Jainism during past as it is evident from the discovery of many sculptures and antiquities from Himachal Pradesh. Recently a number of sculptures were recovered near Kangra fort, among them a beautiful inscribed sculpture of Rishabhanatha was also recovered which is discussed in the present paper.
In Tondaimandalam region, sculptural art has witnessed a tremendous growth in Pallava period (cir... more In Tondaimandalam region, sculptural art has witnessed a tremendous growth in Pallava period (circa 610 C.E. - 913 C.E.) involving innovative ideas, reflective of the then socio-cultural, religious and economic factors. Study on Pallava sculptures fascinated art connoisseurs and historians since the last few decades of the 18th century C.E., when for the first time William Chambers has made an attempt to describe the monuments of Mamallapuram. However, most of the works dealt with iconographical and architectural features, giving very little importance to the cultural factors hidden in the sculptures. Among the various objects depicted in the sculptural art which reflects the material culture of those times, the study of thrones, which symbolizes status, dignity and identification of the person occupying it, forms an interesting subject. The main aim of this paper is to analyze the various types of thrones depicted in the sculptural art of Pallava period, which might have been actually in usage in those times. The present study helped in identifying ten types of thrones, on the basis of its shape, dimension and other aesthetic features. As foot-rest is also part of a throne, it is also studied.
The present book Pallava Sculptures – A Cultural Study is the result of extensive fieldwork and m... more The present book Pallava Sculptures – A Cultural Study is the result of extensive fieldwork and minute analytical research undertaken by the author.The core of the book is centered around the concept that the sculptors were influenced by the cultural traits that existed in the society and eventually that reflected in their art. As a result, the sculptural specimens of a particular period ought to reflect the cultural history of the then society. The present work is divided into eleven chapters, starting with a brief political history and the various stages of development of temple architecture and sculpture of the Pallava period. Then this book gives an elaborate description of material culture of the period as revealed through the sculptural art, such as the physiognomy of the people, their food habits, dwelling units, costume, coiffure, ornaments, household items, articles related to royal court, musical instruments, pastime activities, weapons, flora and fauna. Wherever necessary, corroborative evidences from literature and epigraphs are used. A chronological list of all the Pallava temples as known through the sculptural/architectural style and epigraphical evidences is given in the appendix. More than 400 photographs on important specimens supported by line drawings gives a visual comprehension to the theoretical description.
Uploads
Papers by Krishnamurthy S.