6th century Kannada inscription in cave temple number 3 at Badami

About 25,000 inscriptions found in

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Kar ...

and states near by belongs to Kannada rulers like Kadambas,

Western Ganga Dynasty Western Ganga was an important ruling dynasty of ancient Karnataka in India which lasted from about 350 to 1000 CE. They are known as "Western Gangas" to distinguish them from the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, Eastern Gangas who in later centuries ...

Rashtrakuta Rashtrakuta ( IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...

Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynas ...

Hoysala The Hoysala Empire was a Kannadiga power originating from the Indian subcontinent that ruled most of what is now Karnataka between the 10th and the 14th centuries. The capital of the Hoysalas was initially located at Belur, but was later move ...

and

Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also called the Karnata Kingdom, was a Hindu empire based in the region of South India, which consisted the modern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa and some parts of Telangana and Mahar ...

. Many inscriptions related to

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

are unearthed. The inscriptions generally found are on stone (''Shilashasana'') or copper plates (''Tamarashasana''). The Kannada inscriptions (

Old Kannada Old Kannada or Halegannada ( kn, ಹಳೆಗನ್ನಡ, Haḷegannaḍa) is the Kannada language which transformed from ''Purvada halegannada'' or ''Pre-old Kannada'' during the reign of the Kadambas of Banavasi (ancient royal dynasty of K ...

Kadamba script The Kadamba script is the first writing system devised specifically for writing Kannada and Telugu. It is a descendant of the Brahmi script. The Kadamba script is also known as ''Pre-Old-Kannada script''. The Kadamba script is one of the oldes ...

) found on historical Hero Stone, coin and temple wall, piller, tablet and rock edict. These Inscription have contributed towards Kannada literature and helped to classify as ''Proto Kannada, Pre Old Kannada,

, Middle Kannada and New Kannada. ''Inscriptions'' depicts culture, tradition and prosperity of those era. The world wide recognized literature '' Ramayana '' and '' Mahabharata '' are transferred through generation by these Inscription Hazara Rama Temple and Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple are the best example.

Earliest Kannada inscriptions

Old Kannada inscription Hero Stone from 9th century AD in Kalleshvara Temple at Aralaguppe

The first written record in Kannada traced to Ashoka's Brahmagiri edict dating back to around 250 BC, Tagarthi inscription dates back to 350 AD. The stone inscription (dated 370 CE) found at Talagunda near Shiralakoppa in the taluk during excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 2013-14 is now said to be the earliest Kannada inscription. Nishadi Inscription of 400 AD of Chandragiri hill (

Shravanabelagola Shravanabelagola () is a town located near Channarayapatna of Hassan district in the Indian state of Karnataka and is from Bengaluru. The Gommateshwara Bahubali statue at Shravanabelagola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage des ...

Halmidi inscription The Halmidi inscription is the oldest known Kannada language inscription in the Kadamba script. While estimates vary slightly, the inscription is often dated to between 450 CE - 500 CE. The inscription was discovered in 1936 by Dr. M. H. Kris ...

of 5th century AD and Aihole inscriptions are very important in the history of Kannada and Karnataka. 5th century Tamatekallu inscription of Chitradurga and 500 CE Chikkamagaluru inscription. The earliest known Kannada inscription in Bengaluru region traced to the reign of Sripurusha was discovered in 2018 in Hebbal. There are few Kannada words found in the edicts and inscriptions those are prior to the Christian era in places as far as Egypt. ;Brahmagiri rock inscription of Ashoka Ashoka rock edict at Brahmagiri in Chitradurga district is the ancient site of ''Ishila''. An inscription there contains this most ancient Kannada word. The earliest recorded word of Kannada is ''Isila'' occurring in the Brahmagiri rock inscription of 252 BC (similar to many other inscriptions with Kannada words). ;Tagarthi inscription A Dr. S. Shettar completed a detailed palaeographic study over 10 years, finding five to six inscriptions that are older than Halmidi inscription (in Poorvada Halegannada dialect). The inscription is a mix of Brahmi, Kannada and Nagari scripts. One of those found at Tagarthi (within the Gangavadi region in Shimoga district) dates to 350 AD, during the Ganga dynasty. This study pushed the date push back by at least a century. The historian ''Suryanath Kamath'' also agree with the findings of Dr S. Shettar. ;Gunabhushitana Nishadi inscription ''M. G. Manjunath'' an epigraphist Mysore based scholar discovered 400 AD ''Gunabhushitana Nishadi inscription'' of Jainism one of the 271 inscriptions on Chandragiri hill of Shravanabelagola found near Parshwanatha Basadi, which is 50 years older than Halmidi inscription. It is mentioned in the Epigraphia Karnataka. There are Prakrit, Sanskrit and Purvada Halegannada (

words. The four lined inscription has six words. The inscription is in ''Shatavahana Brahmi and Aadi Ganga script''.

M. Chidananda Murthy M. Chidananda Murthy (10 May 1931 – 11 January 2020) was a Kannada writer, researcher and historian. He was a well-known scholar in Karnataka specializing in the history of Kannada language and ancient Karnataka. He was also known for his ...

also agree that ''Gunabhushitana Nishadi Shasana'' was a Kannada inscription (in Purvada Halegannada script). ;Halmidi inscription The 5th century AD ''

'' 16-line earliest Kannada inscription found at Halmidi in Belur taluk of Hassan district on rectangular sandstone ( 2.5 ft height and 1 ft width) has a Vishnu Chakra on its top. The language of the inscription is in ''Poorvada Halegannada'' ( Proto-Kannada). Archaeologist M. H. Krishna found the Brahmi script in the inscription. Shifted the inscription to ''Archaeological Museum, Mysore'' and later to ''Government Museum in Bangalore''. '' Epigraphia Karnataka'' has dedicated a chapter to study of the inscription. The linguists and writers

Govinda Pai Manjeshwar Govinda Pai (23 March 1883 – 6 September 1963), also known as Rastrakavi Govinda Pai, was a Kannada poet. He was awarded the first Rashtrakavi title by the Madras Government (Kasaragod district was part of South Kanara district of ...

, T. V. Venkatachala Sastry, Ram Sri Mugali, R.S. Panchamukhi, D.L. Narasimhachar, and M. M. Kalburgi studied the inscription and published papers. Writers including G. S. Gai, T. A. Gopinatha Rao, T. N. Srikantaiah, Shivarama Aithala, S. Nagaraju, S. Srikanta Sastri, M. Mariyappa Bhatta, M. B. Neginahal, K. V. Ramesh, Devarakondareddy and K. M. Hanumantha Rao have discussed the important issues raised by Halmidi inscription in their books. ;Tamatakallu inscriptions Chitradurga district is home for most ancient inscriptions written in ''archaic Kannada script''. As per epigraphist Dr. B. Rajashekharappa the inscriptions known as ''Veeragallu'' at Tamatakal village written in Kannada script belongs mostly to end of Fifth Century or beginning of Sixth Century, describes the nature and achievements of ''Gunamadhura'' who ruled ''Masikapura'' (ancient name of Tamatakal), ''he was frivolous, generous and kind person. he was a favourite among women (Despite being of dark complexion), because of his kind nature''. In 1903 by the historian late

B. L. Rice Benjamin Lewis Rice (17 July 1837 – 10 July 1927), popularly known as B. L. Rice, was a British historian, archaeologist and educationist. He is known for his pioneering work in deciphering inscriptions, especially in Kannada, and in Sansk ...

discovered the inscriptions, Dr. Rajashekharappa found new aspects.

Karnataka inscriptions of Kannada dynasties

The Karnataka inscriptions are mainly categories as mentioned below ; Kadambas inscriptions *

- Kadamba Coins and the earliest Kannada inscription *

Talagunda pillar inscription The Tālagunda pillar inscription of Kakusthavarman is an epigraphic record in Sanskrit found in the ruined Pranavalingeshwara temple northwest of village Talagunda, Karnataka, India. It is engraved on hard grey granite and dated to between 455 ...

* Halasi Inscriptions of Kadambas of Halasi * Chandravalli rock inscription. * In AD 475-490 Mrigesavarman of Kadambas of Halasi inscription there is mention about Yapaniya. ;

inscriptions Old Kannada inscription dated 981 CE in Vindyagiri hill at Shravanabelagola

* The 981 CE

inscription at Vindyagiri

Hebbal-Kittayya inscription The Hebbal-Kittayya 750CE Inscription is one of the oldest known Kannada language inscriptions in Kannada script and Bangalore's oldest inscription. The inscription was discovered on 1 May 2018 in Hebbal. The inscription is on a Ooralivu Ve ...

at Hebbal, Bangalore * Doddahundi nishidhi inscription * Atakur inscription * The 983 CE Tyagada Brahmadeva Pillar at Shravanabelagola * Shravanabelagola inscription of Nandisena * Tumbula inscriptions of 444 AD, Sanskrit-Kannada inscription, the Kannada words are used to describe the land boundaries. * Western Ganga Kannada writings ;

inscriptions * The 634CE Aihole inscription of ''Ravi Kirti'' (minister and poet of Badami Chalukya

Pulakeshin II Pulakeshin II ( IAST: Pulakeśin, r. c. 610–642 CE) was the most famous ruler of the Chalukya dynasty of Vatapi (present-day Badami in Karnataka, India). During his reign, the Chalukya kingdom expanded to cover most of the Deccan region in ...

) available at the Meguti temple, the inscription is a eulogy of

and his conquests. Hebbal Inscription Stone

* Mahakuta Pillar *

Kappe Arabhatta Kappe Arabhatta ( kn, ಕಪ್ಪೆ ಅರಭಟ್ಟ) was a Chalukya warrior of the 8th century who is known from a Kannada verse inscription, dated to c. 700 CE, and carved on a cliff overlooking the northeast end of the artificial lake i ...

* Badami Inscriptions * Gadag inscription of Vikramaditya VI * Sudi Inscriptions * 610AD Peddavaduguru inscription of Pulakeshin II ;

inscriptions *

Kavirajamarga ''Kavirajamarga'' ( kn, ಕವಿರಾಜಮಾರ್ಗ) (850 C.E.) is the earliest available work on rhetoric, poetics and grammar in the Kannada language.Kamath (2001), p 90Narasimhacharya (1988), p 2 It was inspired by or written in part by ...

* Ninth century Kannada stone inscription of Rashtrakuta period unearthed near Tumbi Kere (tank) at Halekumur village in Byadgi Takuk. The inscription is about Rashtrakuta rulers donating 200 acres to Siddarevar Singh to construct a tank. * Navalinga Temple inscriptions Kuknur. * Northernmost Kannada inscription of the Rashtrakutas of 964 AD is the Jura record found near Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. * Inscriptions related to

Dantidurga Dantidurga (reigned 735–756 CE), also known as Dantivarman II was the founder of the Rashtrakuta Empire of Manyakheta. Reu (1933), p54 His capital was based in Gulbarga region of Karnataka. His successor was his uncle Krishna I who extended ...

;

inscriptions ;

inscriptions ; Vengi Chalukya inscriptions ; Yadava inscriptions ; Kalachuri Inscriptions

Kannada copper plates and manuscripts

* The 8th century AD oldest Kannada copper plate inscription found at Belmannu in Karkala taluk of Udupi district. * Western Ganga Dynasty ''Tumbula inscriptions'' of 444 AD * The 8th century AD Aluvarasa II of

Alupas The Alupa dynasty (ಅಳುಪೆರ್, ಆಳ್ವೆರ್) (circa 2nd century C.E to 15th century C.E) was an ancient ruling dynasty of India. The kingdom they ruled was known as ''Alvakheda Arusasira'' and its territory spanned the coa ...

br>copper plate inscription in Kannada
* The 1430 AD Vijayanagara empire ''Devarajapuram copper plate inscription'' having state-deit

to certify a grant of land to Brahmins (by King Devaraya II (1425-1446)).

Coins bearing Kannada inscription

* The 5th Century copper coin in archaic Kannada script found at

Banavasi Banavasi is an ancient temple town located near Sirsi in Karnataka. Banavasi was the ancient capital of the Kannada empire Kadamba that ruled all of modern-day Karnataka state. They were the first native empire to bring Kannada and Karnataka ...

. One side has five letter inscription ''Sri Manaragi'' and symbol of ''Ujjain'' on other side. * Coins bearing Kannada inscription * Pagodas and Fanams with Kannada inscription were the coinage of

. * Kadamba Coins * Lari (fish hook money) * Sudi and Lakkundi coins mint (Tankhashaley) * Honnu or Gadyana of Hoysala * Kalachuri Kannada Coinage

Kannada inscriptions found outside Karnataka

Many Kannada inscriptions found outside Karnataka mainly Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Kannada inscriptions found in Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh has numerous Kannada inscriptions. * Kannada inscription of Gooty in Andhra Pradesh. * At Tirumala Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati there are about ''50 inscriptions'' available in Telugu and Kannada. * Inscription (in Kannada-Telugu script) of Vijayanagara empire found at Kadimetla in Yemmiganur mandal of Kurnool district. * The 10th century AD. Copper plates of Amma II of Eastern Chalukya in Kannada-Telugu script available at National Museum New Delhi. * The 15th Centur
Rare inscription traces route to Tirumala
written in Kannada found in ''a mango orchard in Krishnampalle'' of T. Kammapalle panchayat (in Pullampet mandal) in Kadapa district. The inscription with the portrait of ''Tallapaka Pedda Tirumalarayudu'' (eldest son of saint lyricist ''Tallapaka Annamacharya'') and ''Sankham, Chakram and Namam'' of Lord Vishnu.

Kannada inscriptions found in Maharashtra

* The '' Karhad copper plates'' in Kannada from Maharashtra is about after the defeat of Rajaditya in Takkolam the Krishna III's distribution of the raid of war; among his people at Melpadi military camp (Tamil Nadu) and also there is mention that Krishna III's invasion of the Chola territory was also to provide livelihood for his people. * Majority of the inscriptions found at Bombay (

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...

) are in Prakrit, Sanskrit and few are in Kannada. Out of the inscriptions found two belongs to

Chalukyas The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynast ...

, one to Kadambas, two to

Rashtrakutas Rashtrakuta (IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing their ...

, eight to

Shilahara The Shilahara Kingdom (IAST: Śilāhāra; also Sinhara, Shailahara, Shrilara, and Silara) was a royal dynasty that established itself in northern and southern Konkan in 8th century CE, present-day Mumbai and Southern Maharashtra ( Kolhapur) ...

s, one to

Yadavas of Devagiri The Seuna, Sevuna, or Yadavas of Devagiri ( IAST: Seuṇa, –1317) was a Medieval Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Narmada river in the north to the Tungabhadra river in the south, in the western part of ...

. * Shilaharas Kannada inscriptions, Silharas of Kolhapur used Kannada in inscriptions. * Maharashtra is mentioned as '' Maharashtraka'' (Great districts or provinces) in 580 CE Chalukya inscription. * Many historical inscriptions mentioned Kolhapur as ''Kollgiri, Kolladigirpattan, Kshullakpur Kollapur and Kollpur'', particularly the word ''Kollpur'' originated from Kannada language. * Kannada inscriptions of Solapur district of Maharashtra * Inscriptions at Ellora * The 11th - 12th Century AD period Kannada Inscription of

Vikramaditya VI Vikramaditya VI (r. 1076 – 1126 CE) became the Western Chalukya King after deposing his elder brother Someshvara II, a political move he made by gaining the support of Chalukya vassals during the Chola invasion of Chalukya territory.Sen ( ...

found a
Beed Maharashtra

Kannada inscriptions found in Tamil Nadu

The Kannada inscription of Rashtrakuta
king Krishna III period">Rashtrakuta">The Kannada inscription of Rashtrakuta
king Krishna III period(of Tenth century CE) found at Melpadi village in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. It is mentioned as the endowment was made in the presence of Krishna III's feudatories (Ratta dynasty, Rattas and Bitti Raja of Melpadi). Krishna III was praised as ''Akalavarsha Deva, Prithvi Vallabha, Maha Rajathiraja, Parameshvara, Parama Bhattaraka and Chaleka Nallathan'' and it indicats that he was about to accomplish his conquests of Kancheepuram and Thanjavur. The Kannada inscriptions found at Kanchipuram, Dharmapuri region, Vazhaithottam in Nilgiri District, Jain Palli at Alathur in Avinasi taluk, Coimbatore District and Karamadai copper plate inscription. Avinashi Temple inscription in Coimbatore, Kanchi inscription of Vikramaditya, Sittannavasal inscription, Melpadi inscription of Rastrakuta Krishna III, Madras Kannada Herostone inscription, Kodumbalur inscription of Irukkuvelir Chiefs and Hero-stone inscriptions in Kondaharahalli are the inscriptions in Kannada. ;Other parts of the world * The stone scripture found in Doleshwor Mahadeva Temple#Research and Findings, Doleshwor of Nepal written in Kannada. * Pyu sites of Myanmar yielded variety of Indian scripts including Kannada inscription. * The ''Deopara inscription'' describes the Senas as ''Karnata Kshatriyas and Brahma-Kshatriyas''.

Research institute of Kannada manuscripts

Oriental Research Institute Mysore Formerly known as the Oriental Library, the Oriental Research Institute (ORI) at Mysore, India, is a research institute which collects, exhibits, edits, and publishes rare manuscripts written in various scripts like Devanagari (Sanskrit), Brahm ...

Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library The Oriental Research Institute & Manuscripts Library, University of Kerala, is one of the leading centres of Indology in India. It is located at Kariavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The institute carry out researches on Indian language m ...

National Institute of Prakrit Studies and Research - Prakrit and Kannada manuscripts

People associated with Kannada inscriptions and manuscripts

* People associated with the study of Kannada inscriptions * Shivakotiacharya's

Vaddaradhane Vaddaradhane by Shivakotiacharya is the earliest extant prose work in Kannada. It is a didactic work consisting of nineteen stories and is based on Harisena's ''Brhatkathakosa''. The work is also known for mentioning the precursor to modern id ...

* Nagavarma I * Phakirappa Gurubasappa Halakatti *

Aluru Venkata Rao Aluru Venkata Rao (also sometimes referred as Aluru Venkata Raya) (12 July 1880 – 25 February 1964) was an Indian historian, writer and journalist. He is revered as Karnataka Kulapurohita (''High priest of the Kannada family'') in the Karn ...

Parabrahma Sastry

References

External links

* {{Commons category-inline, Kannada inscriptions in Karnataka
Kannada inscriptions

Pâli, Sanskṛit and Old Canarese Inscriptions from the Bombay Presidency and ... By John Faithful Fleet, James Burgess

The Indian temple forms in Karṇātạ inscriptions and architecture

* ttp://www.kud.ac.in/content.aspx?module=dept&page=dept_KRI Kannada Research Institute (KRI) Karnataka University Dharwad
Ancient History and Archaeology Mysore Karnataka

Temples of Karnataka

* ttp://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/mtdc/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/images/pdf/Vithoba.pdf Inscriptions related to Vithoba Linguistic history of India Historiography of India History of Karnataka Literature of Karnataka Asian archaeology Archaeological artefact types Archaeology of India Inscriptions by languages