Rare Inscriptions Trace Rise, Fall of Buddhism in TG

Karimnagar: A rare epigraphical exploration in the dense Gundaram forest near Gattusingaram village in Peddapalli district has shed light on the rise and eventual decline of Buddhism at a single site over a span of six centuries, said E. Munirathnam Reddy, director (epigraphy), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in a statement released here on Wednesday.

Archaeologists from the ASI have deciphered two inscriptions etched on a rock formation locally known as Sitammalodi. These inscriptions, dating back around 600 years, serve as key indicators of a major religious transition in the region.

Dr Reddy said the first inscription, written in Prakrit language using the Brahmi script, dates to the 1st century BCE. It records the donation of caves by a person from the Haritiputra lineage—likely connected to the Chuṭu dynasty—in honour of Kumara Hakusiri, a Satavahana prince. The text, “Putasa ku(ma)rasa Akusiri mitasa ivakhamitam,” offers strong evidence of Buddhist patronage and a monastic presence in the Deccan during the early historic period.

The second inscription, dated to the 6th century CE, is engraved in Sanskrit using early Telugu-Kannada characters. It reads “Hakugar̥u sagrabhaya” and likely references an epithet associated with the ascetic Kalamukha sect, a Shaivite order that rose to prominence as Buddhism was witnessing a marked decline in the region.

The presence of two inscriptions from distinctly different religious traditions and time periods at the same site provides a compelling narrative. It highlights Buddhism’s flourishing state in the 1st century BCE and its gradual decline by the 6th century CE with the rise of Hindu sects like the Kalamukhas.

“These findings not only enrich the understanding of the Deccan’s dynamic religious history but also open new avenues for archaeological and cultural research in Telangana,” Dr. Reddy added.