News Excerpt:
10th-century Kadamba inscription unveiled in South Goa.
About the Kadamba Inscription:
- It is said to be from the 10th century A.D.
- The inscription has been discovered in the Sri Mahadeva temple at Cacoda in southern Goa.
- It is a bilingual inscription with 14 written in Kannada script and language. As soon as the Kannada inscription ends, the same message is written in Devanagari script and Sanskrit language. (Sanskrit and Kannada were the official languages of the Kadambas of Goa).
- The inscription opens with an auspicious word ‘’be it well’’ (Swasthi Shri).
- The inscription is in a distinct narrative style with a noticeable first-person perspective and eloquent composition. It takes the form of a vocal statement expressing a lamenting father's grief over the death of his son.
Historical background of the Inscription:
- The inscription recounts the historical episode when Talara Nevayya governed the Mandala region. Talara Nevayya's son, Gundayya, dedicated himself to fulfilling his father's ambition of capturing Gopura, the port of Goa. Gundayya valiantly fought in pursuit of this goal and tragically lost his life in the process.
- His father erected a memorial stone with the inscription in the temple of Mahadev of Cacoda to commemorate the heroic fight of his son.
- It is thus clear that they were great devotees of Shiva.
About Kadambas:
- Kadambas of Goa were the subordinates of Chalukyas of Kalyana.
- Chalukyan emperor Tailapa II appointed Kadamba Shasthadeva as Mahamandaleshwara of Goa for his help in overthrowing the Rashtrakutas.
- Kadamba Shasthadeva conquered the city of Chandavara from the Shilaharas in 960 A.D. Later, he conquered the port of Gopakapattana (present Goa).
