Stone inscription of Maratha ruler found in Thanjavur temple

THANJAVUR: A stone inscription in Modi script belonging to the period of the Maratha ruler of Thanjavur has been discovered at the Somanathar temple in Perumagalur village near Peravurani in the district. Modi is a script used to write the Marathi language primarily spoken in Maharashtra, said the team of epigraphists which found the inscriptions recently.

Information about the inscription came to light from the villagers who found it in the temple. Perumagalur is about 15 kms away from Peravurani along the Peravurani - Kattumavadi main road. Previously the village was called Perumullur which gradually changed to Perumagalur. Archaeologist Manimaran of Saraswathi Mahal Library here said the library authorities received information from the villagers about a stone inscription they found buried in the earth in the temple when they took up renovation work. Manimaran headed the team of epigraphists which also comprised P Jumbulingam, G Thillai Govindarajan and V Ramamoorthi.

Based on the information given by the villagers, the team visited there and studied the temple where they discovered that its structure and the tank could have been constructed during the Kulothunga Chola period and maintained by the Pandyas and Maratha rulers subsequently, Manimaran said.

They found that the inscription had details of the donations made by Maratha ruler Prathaba Simhan (AD 1753) to the temple which was inscribed in Modi script measuring 5feet long and 2 feet wide.

It also bore the stampings usually found on the palm leaf of copper plate inscriptions, Manimaran said. The same information was found in Tamil letters on the other side of the stone which however was not readable as it had scratches, he added.