Preface
I am extremly glad to place in the hands of readers and research scholars the present volume of Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy. This report, together with other reports of my period up to the year 1993-94 and the arrears reports belonging to the years 1981-82 and 1982-83, were sent to the press before my retirement in the year 1997 and were composed by the local D.T.P. Presses, viz. Ready Print and Comptec, which was made possible on account of the inspiring interest of the then Director General (late) Shri Ajai Shankar, I.A.S., and Shri S.K. Mathur, I.A.S.. Addl. Director General. I express my gratitude to both of them. During the last four years, the reports for the years 1986-87, 1987-88. 1992-93 and 1993-94 have been published and the remaining reports are in different stages of proof correction. Dr. K.M. Bhadri, Superientending Epigraphist and In-charge Officer of the Office of the Director (Epigraphy). Mysore, has, after taking charge of this office, dedicated himself to the task of seeing through the press all the remaining reports in the press and expediting the work of publication. On account of his hectic efforts it has now been possible to make this report available to the scholars. My grateful thanks are due to him in immense measure for this. Dr. Bhadri and his colleagues, Shri M.J. Sharma. Superintending Epigraphist. Dr. T.S. Ravishankar, Deputy Superintending Epigraphist and other colleagues in the office have all attended to the task of meticulous proof correction and enhanced the quality of the publication. They have also helped me in my editorial work in various ways. My sincere thanks are due to all of them. Shri G.S. Ravishankar, P.A. to Director (Epigraphy), has rendered valuable assistance in coordinating the press-work of the Office. Members of the technical section of the Office (some of whom are presently working in the two zonal offices functioning from Chennai and Lucknow), who copied inscriptions from various parts of the country, contributed their lists for inclusion in the report and assisted me in making the report press-ready, richly deserve my sincere thanks (for details vide the General Introduction of the report). My hearty thanks are also due to the members of the technical section of the Office of the Director (Epigraphy) for Arabic and Persian Inscriptions, Nagpur, whose collection has been included in Appendix C.
I also express my gratitude to Smt. Kasturi Gupta Menon, I.A.S., the present Director General and Dr. K.V. Ramesh, Retd. Joint Director General, who have been source of inspiration to me throughout and to Dr. M.I. Quddusi, Director (Epigraph) for Arabic and Persian Inscriptions, Nagpur, who has cooperated with me in all my efforts to make the publications up-to-date and evinced keen interest in the publication of this Annual Report.
Shri S.K. Lakshminarayana alias Babu, Proprietor, Ready Print, Mysore, has.done his best in getting this Report through D.T.P. My sincere thanks are due to him. I am also thankful to the authorities and the staff members of the Tamil Nadu Government Central Press at Chennai for printing of this report neatly within a short time.
List of Plates
1. Inscription ill Shell characters from Latitagiri
2. Jaina image Pedestal Inscription from Ujjain, Vikrama 1229
3. Chakkarapalli Inscription of Pandya king Chadaiyavarman Sundara Pandya, year 17
4. Inscription of Ghiyathud-Din Tughluq Shah from Sahar. dated A.H.725
5. Bilingual Inscription of Sikaudar Shah Lodi from Sahar. dated A.H. 920
6. Rohtak Inscription of Mughal emperor Humayum, dated A.H. 944
List of Appendix (Appendices)
A. Copper Plates
B. Inscriptions on Stone and Other Materials
C. Arabic and Persian Inscriptions
D. List of Photographs