(First half of fourth century A.D.)
Anandas ruled Andhra from 335-425 A.D.
They operated from Kandarapura (present day Chejerla mandal) of Guntur district. Anandas resumed power consequent to the fall of Iksh-vaku dynasty.
They flourished between second half of the 4th century and the first half of the 5th century.
There are only two copper- plate grants of Anandas and one stone inscription. Only three kings of the kingdom, Kandara, Attivarman, and Damadoravarman, are known. The founder of the Ananda Gotrikas was Kandara, who also founded the capital city of Kanadarapura. King Kandara, a devotee of Shiva, also won battles against the pallavas and drove them out of Amaravati region. King Damadoravarman was the successor and son of King Attivarman.
The Ananda dynasty was overthrown by salankayanas.
Inscription number 32.
Mattepad Plates of Damodaravarman Regnal Year 2.
Provenance: Village Mattepad, Ongole taluk, Guntur district,
Andhra Pradesh.
Script: Early Southern Brahmi of early 4th century A.D.
Language: Partly Sanskrit, partly Prakrit.
References: E. Hultzsch, Ep.Ind. XVII, pp.327-30.
Footnote 1.
1. From the facsimile in Ep.Ind., XVII facing pp. 328.
2. The serial number of each inscribed face of the plates, is engraved on its left margin.
3. The city must have been founded by king Kandara who is
mentioned as an ancestor of Attivarman (= Hastivarman)
(Ind. Ant,. IX,. pp.102, 11.2-2). A much defaced sanskrit inscription at chezarlai, west of Guntur, mentions the
daughter of Kandara of Ananda gotra; (see Venkayya’s Report for 1900, pp.5, 35)
4. Fourth plate second side Incised below the line, below the syllables ददज्जस्स.
English Translation of the inscription.
From Kandarapura, the city of victory The villagers of Kangura be told on orders from the glorious Maharaja
Damodaravarman of Ananda lineage, who meditates on the feet of the Lord Buddha, the truly enlightened one (and) who is the origin of the production (who has caused the performance) of many Hiranyagarbha sacrifices, and of (gifts of) thousands of fertile cows:
For the sake of our salvation as far as the seventh generation, the village of Kangura has been granted by us
with ali exemptions, to these (following) Brahmanas, of various ancestries and schools (of the vedas), engaged in
austerities and study of sacred texts. Knowing this (the villagers) should render service (to them.)
The allotment of shares is (now) made to these Brahmanas, with specification of (their) gotras(ancestries) and charanas (schools of the veda).
First then, To Rudrarya of Kaundinya gotra 1 share, To Nandyarya
the Kaundinya 1 share, To skandarya, the Kaundinya (1) share,
To Bhavarya, the Kaundinya 1 share, To Agnyarya, the Kaundinya,
1 share, To sryarya, the Kaundinya, 1 share, Again to Bhavarya the Kaundinya 1 share, To skandarya,
the Kaundinya 1 share, To sabaarya the Kaundinya 1 share, To Agnyarya the
Kaundinya 1 share, To Virarya, the Kaundinya 1 share, To
Damarya, the Kasyapa, ( of Kasyapa gotra) (1) share; To Kumararya, the Kasyapa, 1 share, To Venvarya, the Kasyapa 1 share, to Devarya, the Kasyapa, 1 share, to Nandyarya the
Kasyapa 1 share, to Dronarya of Vatsa gotra 1 share, to Bhadrarya of Agastya gotra 1 share.
In the year of victory 2, on the thirteenth (tithi) of the bright fortnight of Karttika, this charter plate was given.
(Here follow two of the usual benedictory and
imprecatory verses)
Footnote: 1 and 2. Halanta m is engraved below the double danda.