Newly discovered Pallava copper plates likely to rearrange genealogy of the dynasty

Newly discovered copper plates in Karnataka may reshape Pallava dynasty genealogy.

A set of five copper plates, found with a family in Karnataka, is likely to rearrange the genealogy of the Pallava dynasty.

K. Munirathnam Reddy, director (Epigraphy) of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on Monday (January 20) collected the copper plates for copying from Pandit Shiva Swamy Acharya, at Dibburu village in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka. He told The Hindu that these are similar to the early copper plates traced at Maydavolu in Guntur district.

The newly discovered copper plates recorded the gift of the village Siyapura in Korikunda-Visaya as Brahmadeya (exemption from all taxes) by Vijaya Siva Simha Varma, son of Nandi Varma and grandson of Vijaya Skanda Varma of the Bharadvaja gotra of Pallava dynasty, to Arya Jyesthasarma, a brahmana of Badarayana gotra and Taittiriya Sakha, who is well versed in six Vedangas.

Mr. Munirathnam Reddy said the word ‘Visaya’ during the Pallava period meant a district. This gift was given by the king when he was camping at Pokuru. The text on the copper plates is written in Sanskrit and early Telugu-Kannada (Archaic variety) characters of the 5th-6th century C.E., he said.

The ASI director said: “This charter (copper plate) was issued in the 20th regnal year of the king on the 12th day of the bright fortnight of Kartika month. The Naksatra of the day being Uttara-bhadra.” This copper plate is going to help rearrange the Pallava genealogy, added Mr. Muniratnam Reddy . 

He explained that the copper plates might have been issued by the Pallavas from Guntur, when they were ruling from that region. Later, the rulers migrated to Kanchi in Tamil Nadu, he added.

Mr. Munirathnam Reddy said the copper plates came to light as a result of awareness among the public on the importance of preserving and studying the inscriptions.