Inscription Number 77:-
Kalachhala Fragmentary Copper-plate Grant of Isvararata.
Provanance: Kalachhala, near Karali,
16 kms, west of Chhota Udaipur, Kathiawar. Kathiawar is a peninsula and part of Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujrat.
It is surrounded on the north by the wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on the southeast and east by the Gulf of Khambhat.
Kathiawar, gets its name from the prominence of the kathi people.
Script: West Indian variety of the South-Indian Brahmi of about the second half of the 4th century AD.
Language: Sanskrit.
References: Professor Pandya, Vallabha Vidyanagar Research Bulletin.I, No 2, International Language Section, pp-2, and 28, V.V. Mirashi, C.I.I., IV, pp.603-4,
D.C. Sircar, Ep.Ind., XXXIII, pp.- 303-6.
Foot note 1
Only the first plate of the set has been discovered.
Prof. Pandya (op.cit,Pl.2 and 28), following Mirashi
(ABORI, XXV. pp159 f and C.I.I,. IV, pp.5ff ) considers Isvararata to have been a feudatory of, Abhiras in the 4th century A.D.
The feudatories (including those enjoying a semi-independent status) and subordinate allies of the early monarchs enjoyed the title Maharaja and were often called Paramabhattaraka-pad-anudhyata, i.e. meditating on or favoured by the feet of the overlord.
D.C sircar however, rejects
this view on the ground that the title, Paramabhattaraka of the overlord and official designations Kumaramatya,
uparika and viniyuktaka as also Hastyasvavyaprita, are
not known in the records of the Gupta age. Records are known, where the Gupta sovereign was refered to only
as Bhattaraka or Paramabhattaraka without mentioning his name.
Samudragupta (335- 76 A.D.) defeated the Aryavarta ruler Rudradeva, who has been identified with the Saka ruler Rudrasena 3, of western India. The abeence of Rudrasena’s coins for the period 351 to 364 A.D., indicates
occupation of his territory during this period by the Guptas. Later he recovered his territory from them,
necessitating reconquest of Western India by Chandragupta 2, (376-413 A.D.)Sircar is inclined to accept
Isvararata as a feudatory of the Guptas either during Samuaragupta’s occupation of saka territory or after
reoccupation by Chandragupta 2.
English Translation of the inscription
Om ! Peace ! From prachakasa Isvararata always in the thoughts of the His Supreme Majesty, being in good health advises his all Ayuktakas viniayuktakas, kumaramatyas, Uparikas, dandikas, dandapasikas, chatas, bhatas etc. assigned to the elephants, horses and people, assembled in the village of Vedhyakupika, situated in the vankika-patta, and the villagers headed by brahmanas, after enquiring about their well-being.
Footnote-2
1. From the facsimile in Ep-Ind XXXIII, pp -303-6.
2. Expressed by a symbol.
3. Sircar ईश्वररात
4. Vankika-patta, according to Sircar may be wankaner in Kathiawar.
Prachakasa and Vedhyakupika cannot be identified.
5. The word can be completed as बोधयति It is clear that the village Vedhyakupika was being donated to one or more brahmanas, whose names figured in the Lost plates. This is the earliest extent copper-plate charter of the usual type so far discovered in Northern India. It appears to be earlier than the
Dhanaidaha plate (Supra, No.II, 16 ) of Kumaragupta 1, of the Gupta year 113 ( =432 AD), which till now was
regarded as the earliest such genuine record.