Quick Summary
- A stone inscription from Kotha Ravi Perumal, the third Chera king, was unearthed at Meledath Mahasiva Vettakkorumakan temple near Manjeri in Kerala.
- This discovery marks the 10th known inscription attributed too Kotha Ravi Perumal, a ruler of the Chera dynasty that governed Kerala between the 9th and 12th centuries.
- Found on a circumambulatory stone in front of the temple’s circular sanctum sanctorum, much of the script has been worn away over time due to foot traffic.
- Written in Vattezhuthu script,it begins with “Swasti Sree” (“Hail Prosperity”) and refers to arrangements made during Kotha Ravi Perumal’s reign.
- The postscript mentions violations under an administrative system called Moozhikkala during chera rule.
- epigraphist M.R. raghava Varier identified typical details seen in other inscriptions by this king but noted difficulties due to faded characters. Historian Keshavan Veluthat suggested this could be among the earliest records mentioning Moozhikkala but cautioned conclusions without clear dating.
- experts believe it likely dates back to around 883 AD when the king assumed power.
- The State Department of Archaeology intends to continue exploration for more such evidence about ancient rulers in kerala.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The unearthing of this inscription adds meaningful past depth to India’s understanding of regional governance and cultural life under Chera reign.As only one out of ten confirmed inscriptions attributed to Kotha Ravi Perumal, its focus on administrative systems like Moozhikkala highlights how land management formed an integral part of historical governance models. however, gaps due to illegible portions underline challenges archaeologists face in reconstructing nuanced narratives from ancient scripts.
for India’s scholarly community and public sense-making alike, artifacts such as these help consolidate continuity between past systems and modern practices within localized socio-political dynamics like those involving temples or land distribution mechanisms across states like kerala today.
Read More: the Hindu