Cuttack: In a significant archaeological breakthrough, ancient stone inscriptions dating back to the Ganga and Suryavamsi Gajapati periods have been discovered in the Birupa–Chitrotpala river basin of Odisha.
The findings follow a joint survey undertaken by the Rediscover Lost Heritage (RLH) Group, 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 locations in the river basin, including Gopinathpur, Kisinapur, Bhadreswar and Kendupatana.
Their efforts uncovered valuable details about inscriptions from the Ganga and Suryavamsi Gajapati eras, offering fresh insights into the region’s cultural and historical significance.
A key highlight of the survey was the successful deciphering of an ancient inscription engraved on the pedestal of the main idol at the Lakshminarayan Temple in Kendupatana.
According to epigraphist Bishnumohan Adhikari, the inscription comprises two lines, translated as: Line 1: Sribisvanatha _ le pratima and Line 2: E pratima gahile || a || Dulala || ka(ru)ra || Though partially damaged, the inscription is written in a blend of Odia and Sanskrit.
Based on paleographic analysis, Adhikari estimates that it dates back to the 14th–15th century CE.
The find offers important clues about the temple’s origins and its links to the Ganga dynasty.
Deepak Kumar Nayak, heritage researcher and RLH member, suggested that the inscription likely dates to the reign of Ganga ruler Narasimhadeva IV (1377–1414 CE).
He further noted that “Sribisvanatha,” mentioned in the text, may refer to Srikaraa Bisvanatha Mahasenapati, a prominent official who served as Chaturdiga Dandaparichha during that period.
The name of Bisvanatha Mahasenapati also appears in inscriptions at Simhachalam in Andhra Pradesh (1381 CE) and the Siddheswar Temple in Jajpur (1394 CE), reinforcing his association with the Ganga era.
The survey also uncovered additional inscriptions from the Suryavamsi Gajapati period.
RLH founder member Bikash Prasad Das said the team had documented detailed information on inscriptions at Gopinathpur, Kisinapur and Bhadreswar Temple.
An estampage (inked impression) of a key inscription from Bhadreswar Temple has also been obtained and will be included in a forthcoming book compiling all the survey findings.
“The Kendupatana inscription and other findings from this region paint a vivid picture of Odisha’s ancient past, particularly the architectural and political developments during the Ganga and Suryavamsi Gajapati eras,” said Das.
“We hope these discoveries will strengthen ongoing efforts to preserve and understand Odisha’s cultural heritage,” he added.
The rediscovery of these inscriptions has been hailed as a major advancement in archaeological research in Odisha.
Local heritage groups and scholars are now calling for stronger preservation measures and further excavations in the Birupa–Chitrotpala river basin, an area believed to hold many more untapped historical treasures.