Archive · 27 Nov 2025
300-Year-Old Bilingual Inscription Found in Odisha
A very old stone with writing in both Telugu and Odia languages was found in a temple in Odisha.
This is the first time such a stone with two languages has been found in Odisha.
The writing talks about a person named Udayagiri Yenkata Rao Pantulu who gave money for the temple.
The stone is about 300 years old and was found by a history teacher.
Experts think it was made during the time of a king named Gajapati Prataparudra.
The temple also has statues of the king and the person who built it.
This discovery helps us understand how people in Odisha spoke different languages and worshipped together a long time ago.
A 300-year-old inscription in both Telugu and Odia scripts was discovered at the Hanuman Temple in Paralakhemundi, Odisha.
This is the first bilingual inscription found in Odisha dedicated to Lord Hanuman.
The inscription refers to the religious donations of Udayagiri Yenkata Rao Pantulu, likely associated with the Kamma-agrahara.
The inscription dates back to the regime of Gajapati Prataparudra, estimated to be between 1706 CE and 1748 CE.
The discovery provides insights into the religious patronage and linguistic coexistence of Odia and Telugu communities in southern Odisha during the early modern period.
- Who
- P. Appala Raju (discoverer), Bishnu Mohan Adhikari (epigraphist)
- What
- A 300-year-old bilingual inscription in Telugu and Odia
- When
- Estimated to be from around 1700 CE
- Where
- Hanuman Temple in Paralakhemundi, Gajapati district, Odisha
- Why
- To offer insights into religious patronage and linguistic coexistence in the region
- Location
- Hanuman Temple, Paralakhemundi, Gajapati district, Odisha
- Age
- 300 years old
- Scripts
- Telugu and Odia
- Discoverer
- P. Appala Raju
- Epigraphist
- Bishnu Mohan Adhikari
- Historical Figure
- Gajapati Prataparudra
- Estimated Period
- 1706 CE to 1748 CE
- Significance
- First bilingual inscription in Odisha dedicated to Lord Hanuman