NALGONDA
- ART AND CULTURE
News:
Historic Discovery:
Telugu-Tamil Inscription On 17th Century Lamppost Unearths Trade Links
What's
in the news?
●
A 390-year-old
Deepastambham (lamp post) discovered on the River Krishna’s edge in
Nalgonda district, Telangana,
highlights early medieval trade ties.
Deepastambham (Lamp Post):
●
The 20foot tall pillar, with hollows for
lamps and a multi-lingual inscription, was found in Mudimanikyam village.
●
The discovery was made by Ashok Kumar from
the Public Research Institute for History, Archaeology & Heritage,
indicating a unique find in the Krishna River valley.
●
Unlike the common Dhwajasthambham (flag
pole) in temple architecture, lamp posts are rare in the Deccan region.
Features:
●
The inscription, dated June 1635 and
written in Telugu mixed with Tamil,
suggests the pillar was dedicated to Kasi Viswanatha and possibly served as a
lighthouse for riverine trade.
●
The village’s proximity to Hyderabad,
ruled by Qutb Shahi rulers during
the period, and references by European travellers, including Tavernier, suggest
the importance of riverine trade routes
alongside land trade.
History
of the Nalgonda Region:
●
During the construction of the lamp post,
the region was governed by the Qutb Shahi dynasty.
●
European travellers like the French
diamond trader Tavernier, who
visited the Hyderabad kingdom has also made note of these land trade routes.