Archive · 1 Aug 2025
Odisha Temple Unearths 296-Year-Old Inscribed Bronze Bull
Imagine finding an old, special statue of a bull, Lord Shiva's ride!
This one, made of bronze, is 296 years old and has a message written in Odia, a language from Odisha, India.
This message helps us understand who made it and when.
It was made during the time of a king named Gajapati Narayana Deva I. A person offered this statue during a festival.
What's special is that it's the first bull statue with an Odia message, making it a treasure.
The message tells us how much it cost to make this bull too.
A 296-year-old bronze 'Vrishabha Vahana' with an Odia inscription was discovered in Odisha.
The inscription, deciphered by an epigraphist, dates to the reign of Gajapati Narayana Deva I.
The bronze bull was a sacred offering during the Shiva Vivaha festival by a merchant.
The discovery marks the first Odia-inscribed bronze bull, a national antiquarian treasure.
The crafting cost was 217 tankas at toula 60 madangas, a rare economic reference.
- Who
- Discovered by epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari.
- What
- Discovery of a 296-year-old bronze 'Vrishabha Vahana' with an Odia inscription.
- When
- Dating back to the era of Gajapati Narayana Deva I in the 18th century.
- Where
- Ramalingeswar Temple near Ramasagar in Paralakhemundi, Odisha.
- Why
- To enrich cultural annals of Odisha and highlight the region's heritage.
- Artifact
- Bronze 'Vrishabha Vahana'
- Age
- 296 years
- Inscription Language
- Odia
- Era
- Gajapati Narayana Deva I's reign
- Temple
- Ramalingeswar Temple
- Cost of Crafting
- 217 tankas at toula 60 madangas