CONTEXT

• Discovery Location: Mallikarjunaswamy Temple, Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh.
• Inscription Date: June 28, 1456 CE (Saka 1378).
• Dynasty: Vijayanagar Empire under King Mallikarjuna.
• Language & Script: Sanskrit in Nagari script.
• Discovery By: K. Munirathnam Reddy, Director, Epigraphy Branch, ASI.

CONCEPT

• Comet Mention: Refers to a comet (Dhumaketu) and a meteor shower (Prakasyasya) — both linked to Halley’s Comet appearance in 1456.
• Purpose of Grant: To mitigate calamities believed to be caused by these celestial events (interpreted as inauspicious in traditional beliefs).
• Grant Details:
  • Donated village Simgapura (in present-day Kadapa district) as agrahara (land grant) to Limganarya, a Vedic scholar.
  • Scholar likely proficient in astronomy — reflects the era’s integration of science with religious and royal responses.
• Text Significance:
  • Phrase: “Prakāśyāya mahōtpāta śāntyartham dattavān vibhuh” — indicates fear of disaster due to comet.
  • First epigraphical evidence in India explicitly identifying a historical comet event.
  • Correlates directly with Halley’s Comet’s 1456 appearance, confirmed by global astronomical records.

CURRENT

• Halley’s Comet (1P/Halley):
  • Appears every 72–80 years; next due in 2061.
  • Last appeared in 1986, studied in detail by ESA’s Giotto spacecraft.
  • Validated Fred Whipple’s “dirty snowball” model of comet composition (ices + dust).
• Historical Relevance:
  • First Indian inscriptional link to a global astronomical event, predating modern comet studies.
  • Enhances understanding of astronomical awareness in medieval India.
• Academic Impact:
  • Discovered through line-by-line study of 21 copper plate charters (78 leaves total).
  • Set to be published — adds value to epigraphy, astronomy, and cultural studies.
• Civilizational Insight:
  • Reflects ancient India’s scientific temperament, viewing celestial events as powerful yet addressable through religious acts.
  • Demonstrates integration of astronomy, religion, and governance.