When a King Became Historian; 1949 Letter That Still Inspires Epigraphers

 Visakhapatnam: In the summer of 1949, the Mandasa Royal Palace despatched an elegant letter to the Tekkali Estate—both once Odia-speaking territories in the old Ganjam district of the Madras Presidency in British India.

Although administrative maps of 1936, post Ganjam's bifurcation, moved Mandasa and Tekkali to the Visakhapatnam district of the presidency, the royal chiefs of the two kingdoms still wrote to each other in their mother tongue Odia — a subtle act of cultural continuity.

Jagannatha Rajamani Deva, ruler of Mandasa, formerly known as Manjusha, had dispatched the 1949 summer letter to Raja Saheb Lakshminarayana Harichandan Jagadev, King of Tekkali.

Jagadev had been no ordinary ruler; he had been a renowned epigraphist, a patron and frequent contributor to the Andhra Historical Research Journal. His passion lay in unearthing, reading and preserving the inscriptions of ancient temples scattered across the Odisha and Andhra’s coastal belt.

In the correspondence, Jagadev had sought details of certain temple inscriptions from the Mandasa zamindari territory. Rajamani Deva replied with humility and clarity — that there had been archaeological remains in the royal cremation grounds. But he did not have a copy of the temple inscription. However, he promised to arrange some photographs.

“This was no small gesture. In 1949, photography required cumbersome equipment, careful preparation and significant expense,” said epigraphist Bishnu Mohan Adhikari. He said the exchange stands as a glimpse into a different scholarly era—when kings themselves joined the hunt for historical truth, when the pursuit of a single inscription demanded weeks of communication and effort, and when friendship between rulers could also be a partnership in the service of history.

Raja Jagadev’s contributions in this regard have been monumental. He deciphered numerous inscriptions in the Visakhapatnam, Ganjam, and Puri regions for the first time. Among the many, the Langalaveni Fort inscription, the Athagada Temple inscription, and the Madukeswar Temple inscription of Srikakulam remain noteworthy.

Each decipherment opened a small window into the past, bringing forgotten chapters of regional history back into light.

The 1949 letter—simple in content yet rich in historical spirit—is more than just a royal exchange. It is a reminder that true research is born of patience, respect for sources, and an unyielding commitment to preserving the past, even when the path is long and demanding, Adhikari said.Jagannatha Rajamani Deva