Odia inscriptions found in Birupa-Chitrotpala basin
Cuttack: In a major archaeological discovery, ancient stone inscriptions from the Ganga and Suryavanshi Gajapati periods have been discovered in Odisha’s Birupa-Chitrotpala river basin.
These findings follow a joint survey by the Rediscover Lost Heritage (RLH) Group, the Silver City Cuttack (SCC) Public Charitable Trust, and the Kalinga Epigraphical Research Society (KERS). The team, led by history researcher Deepak Kumar Nayak and epigraphist Bishnumohan Adhikari, surveyed several key sites in the river basin, including Gopinathpur, Kishanpur, Bhadreshwar, and Kendupatna.
Their efforts revealed valuable details about the inscriptions from the Ganga and Suryavanshi Gajapati periods, providing new insights into the region’s cultural and historical significance. A highlight of the survey was the successful decipherment of an ancient inscription engraved on the pedestal of the main idol at the Lakshminarayana Temple in Kendupatna.
According to epigraphist Bishnumohan Adhikari, the inscription consists of two lines, which translate as: Line 1: Sribiswanath _ le pratima and Line 2: E pratima gahile || a || dulala || ka(ru)ra || Although the inscription is slightly worn, it is written in a mixture of Odia and Sanskrit.
Based on paleographic analysis, Adhikari estimates it to date back to the 14th–15th century CE.
This discovery provides important clues about the temple’s origins and its connections to the Ganga dynasty.
Heritage researcher and RLH member Deepak Kumar Nayak suggested that the inscription probably dates back to the reign of the Ganga ruler Narasimhadeva IV (1377–1414 CE).
He further stated that the reference to “Sribiswanath” in the text may refer to Srikara Biswanath Mahasenapati, a prominent official serving as the Chaturdiga Dandaparichha at that time.
Biswanath Mahasenapati’s name also appears in inscriptions from Simhachalam (1381 CE) in Andhra Pradesh and the Siddheshwara Temple (1394 CE) in Jajpur, further establishing his connection to the Ganga era.
The survey has uncovered more inscriptions from the Suryavanshi Gajapati period.
RLH Founder Member Bikash Prasad Das said the team has collected detailed information about the inscriptions from Gopinathpur, Kishanpur, and the Bhadreshwara Temple.
An estampage (ink mark) of a specific inscription from the Bhadreshwara Temple has also been found and will be included in a forthcoming book compiling all the survey results.
Das said, “The Kendupatna inscription and other discoveries from this area provide a clear picture of Odisha’s ancient past, especially the architectural and political developments during the Ganga and Suryavanshi Gajapati eras.”
He added, “We hope these discoveries will strengthen ongoing efforts to preserve and understand Odisha’s cultural heritage.”
The rediscovery of these inscriptions is being considered a major advancement in archaeological research in Odisha.
Local heritage groups and experts are now calling for more robust rescue methods and excavations in the Birupa-Chitrotpala river basin, where it is believed that the area holds many more undiscovered historical treasures.
