Contents
1. Topographical Index
2. Dynastic Index
3. Index of Inscriptions According to Languages
4. Index of Inscriptions According to Scripts
5. Introduction
Preface
I am extremely glad to place the present volume of the Annual Report on Indian Epigraphy in the hands of the readers and research scholars. In the recent years, preparation of epigraphical publications was delayed, consequent upon the establishment of two zonal offices at Jhansi (U.P.) and Madras (Tamil Nadu) during the year 1990, as some persons working in the technical section at the headquarters office at Mysore were transferred to these two zonal offices or left the Branch for better prospects, resulting in the shortage of staff in the headquarters office at Mysore. The strength of staff in the technical section was gradually reduced to less than 50%. However with the available staff, the preparation of these Annual Reports was taken up on war-footing, utilising, at the same time, the assistance of those who were transferred to the zonal offices, as and when possible. By putting in extra efforts, I am glad to state, that all the Annual Reports on Indian Epigraphy viz. those pertaining to the years 1984-85 to 1993-94, together with the reports for the arrears years i.e. for the years 1981-82 and 1982-83 were compiled, finalised and made press-ready, during the last about 31/2 years and two reports viz. the reports for the years 1984-85 and 1985-86, have already been published. The Report for the year 1984-85 was printed at the Tamil Nadu Government Central Press, Madras and that for the year 1985-86 was printed at the Government of India Press, Santragachi, Howrah.
We have also constantly faced difficulties in getting the reports printed in time, even after they were compiled as presses equipped with software possessing diacritical marks, and with the potential to print such specialised technical publications were not easily available and under normal circumstances it would have taken a number of years to have the remaining ten reports composed and printed. In this respect our beloved Director General Shri Ajai Shankar, I.A.S., was extremely kind in permitting me to have the reports composed by the local D.T.P. presses possessing the software containing the required diacritical marks. On account of his keen interest and inspiring guidance, it has been now possible to have all the reports simultaneously composed through D.T.P. process during the last five months and therefore, I owe an immense debt of gratitude to him. He has also blessed me with a very encouraging foreword, for which I am deeply beholden to him. Shri S.K.Mathur, I.A.S., Additional Director General, has also constantly encouraged me in completing the work and therefore, I express my sincere thanks to him. I am glad to state that the proof pages of all the ten reports are ready and the process of their correction is in prograss. It can therefore, be ardently hoped that all the reports would be printed off in the very near future and would be available to the scholars for consultation.
In the preparation of these reports and making them press-ready all the colleagues working in various centres of the Epigraphy Branch, i.e., at Mysore, Jhansi, Madras and Nagpur have spared no pains in assisting me, for which they deserve my very sincere appreciation and thanks. In this respect, I would specially like to place on record my hearty thanks to Dr. M.D. Sampath, Chief Epigraphist, Mysore, Dr. M.I. Quddusi, Superintending Epigraphist for Arabic and Persian Inscriptions, Nagpur, Shri M. Jayarama Sharma, Deputy Superintending Epigraphist, Southern Zone, Madras, Shri T.S. Ravishankar, Deputy Superintending Epigraphist, Mysore (and until recently 'in charge of Northern Zonal office, Jhansi), for their untiring assistance in the preparation of the reports and making them press ready as well as for their assistance in the correction of their proofs.
Shri N.N. Swamy, Dr. C.A. Padmanabha Sastry, Shri Jai Prakash, Dr. M.Y. Quddusi and Shri D.M. Nagaraju, Assistant Superintending Epigraphists and all other colleagues working in various offices of the Branch at Mysore, Jhansi, Madras and Nagpur have also rendered assistance in different ways. Of them Shri S.Nagarjuna, Dr. S. Swaminathan, Senior Epigraphical Assistants at Mysore, Shri Karuppaiah and Shri Rajavelu, Senior Epigraphical Assistants at Madras, Shri Siddiqui and Shri Qwaja, Senior Epigraphical Assistants at Nagpur deserve a mention here. Shri T.S. Ravishankar, Deputy Superintending Epigraphist and Shri G.S. Ravishankar, Stenographer of Head Quarters Office at Mysore have also helped me in co-ordinating the work in various ways. Dr. S. Subramonia lyer (since retired as Deputy Superintending Epigraphist), Shri Sitaram Jagirdar (formerly Epigraphist in Institute of Kannada Studies, University of Mysore), Dr. J. Sundaram, who earlier worked as Epigraphist in this Branch and Shri P. Venkatesan, Superintending Archaeologist presently posted at the South zonal office of the Epigraphy Branch at Madras and Dr. K.M. Bhadri, Superintending Archaeologist and a former member of this office, have also rendered much help in the preparation of the reports and in the correction of proofs. The press copies of the Reports were typed by Shri P. Natarajan and Shri G.S. Ravishankar, V. Ramesh, Stenographers and Shri R.Gnana Prabhu, U.D.C., at Mysore, Shri V.N. lyer, Stenographer at Nagpur and Smt. Malati, L.D.C., at Madras. Shri K.M. Murali Krishna, Shri M. Elumalai, Shri Janabandhu and Shri Virendra Singh, Photographers have spared no pains in preparing illustrations included in the reports. Shri Balasubramaniam, Works Assistant (Publication), Shri V.P. Ramunni, Head Clerk, Smt. V. Ambica Devi, Librarian and other members of staff, have also rendered useful assistance in their respective spheres of activities.' To all the colleagues mentioned above my sincere thanks are due.
I have also received encouragement and guidance at different stages from Shri B.P. Singh, I.A.S., Secretary, Department of Culture, Shri M.C. Joshi, former Director General, Smt. Achala ' Moulik, I.A.S., Former Director General In-charge, Smt. Kasturi Gupta Menon, I.A.S., Joint Secretary in the Department of Culture and former Additional Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, Shri B.B. Lal and Shri M.N.Deshpande, Former Directors' General under whose guidance, I was introduced to the discipline of Archaeology and was enabled to successfully work both in the fields of Archaeology and Epigraphy, Dr. M.S. Nagaraja Rao and Shri J.P. Joshi, Former Directors' General who wished me well in my career, (Late) Dr. G.S. Gai, Shri P.R. Srinivasan, Shri K.G.Krishnan, formerly Chief Epigraphist and Dr. K.V. Ramesh, formerly Joint Director General have inspired me in accomplishing this onerous task, for which I am deeply beholden to them. Shri Satyapal, Director (Administration) and Shri Mahendra Mohan, Deputy Director (Accounts) in the Department at Delhi, have placed at my disposal their valuable help in various ways for which my earnest thanks are due to all of them.
The D.T.P. composing of all the 10 Reports were undertaken and completed in a record time of 5 months. Shri S.K. Lakshminarayana alias Babu, Proprietor, M/s. Ready Print, Mysore where seven reports were composed and Kum. Hemalatha, Proprietrix, M/s. Comptek Computer Systems, Mysore where the remaining three reports were composed deserve our earnest appreciation and gratitude. The report for the year 1993-94 was neatly composed by Kum. Hemalatha, Proprietrix, Comptek Computer Systems. My sincere thanks are due to her.
I am deeply beholden to Dr. V.Prakash, Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, for taking-up the printing work in his press. Sri H.Y. Mahakuteshwar, Head and Sri S.Umesh, Technical Officer, Sri P.S.Ganesh Prasad and Sri C.N.Janardhana of FOSTIS, CFTRI, have produced this publication with an attractive get-up and in a record time. My sincere thanks are due to them.